Shelby Township Company Wins Nod as 'Diversification Leader' in Macomb County

A Shelby Township company has added "Diversification Leader" to its list of honors this week following the first-ever Macomb Business Awards.

Fori Automation, a global supplier of assembly, testing and welding systems, won a crystal award Tuesday in recognition of its commitment to expand "beyond the automotive industry to serve the industries of aerospace, agriculture and recreational vehicles."

The company was nominated along with 48 others for leadership in one of four categories: efficiency, workforce development, diversification or corporate citizenship.

A panel of judges, which included Dr. Jim Jacobs, president of Macomb Community College, and Gene Lovell, president of First State Bank, reviewed the nominations and selected four to receive crystal awards.

Other winners included:

• Energy Efficiency Expert - General Dynamics Land Systems of Sterling Heights for reducing energy consumption by 20 percent through the adoption of renewable energy sources.
• Corporate Citizen - Omega Plastics of Clinton Township for making a longstanding commitment to serving the community and allowing non-profit organizations to use their facilities.
• Champion of Workforce Development - IBEW-NECA Electrical Industry Training Center in Warren for their apprenticeship program and ongoing education efforts to prepare their members for advances in technology.

“We are proud of the 18,000 businesses that have chosen Macomb County as a place to grow their business,” said Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel, who distributed the awards along with the Macomb County Planning and Economic Development department. “Each contributes to our community in a way that is valuable.”

Other Shelby Township and Utica businesses nominated for the awards were: Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, Inc. for a Diversification Leader award and Corporate Citizen award; Omega Solutions for a Corporate Citizen award; Steiny's Tavern for a Corporate Citizen award; and Meade Lexus of Lakeside for a Corporate Citizen award.

Macomb Community College also received the 2013 Economic Development Partner of the Year award in recognition of its nearly 25-year partnership with the Macomb County Planning and Economic Development Department.