Manufacturer’s Appreciation week to salute local business

By LINDSEY ADKISON The Brunswick News
ladkison
Posted on Apr 11, 2016 by Lindsey Adkison
Like so many companies, One Love Organics was born out of a prayer and a dream. Suzanne LeRoux was a practicing attorney with a dream to offer high quality, organic cosmetics.
So she took a deep breath and a big leap and made it happen. LeRoux’s vision grew and today, her brand has been featured in dozens of national blogs and publications, with a thriving website and constant stream of national orders rolling in.
While One Love Organic’s story is inspirational, it’s certainly not the only tale of a passion translating into viable businesses. John Scott, project manager for the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, hears similar stories almost daily.
“This just goes to show that we live in a time when people can have a dream that can be transformed into a very viable business. The internet has been a huge game changer,” he said.
Large or small manufacturing operations are key to the economic health of Glynn County. And that’s why both state and local officials have taken the time to honor those companies. All of the local corporations will be feted during Manufacturing Appreciation Week from April 18-22. Scott says that, in addition to the general festivities, One Love Organics is among two other local companies nominated for awards during the week-long event.
“Every year, the State of Georgia has an official Manufacturing Appreciation Week where communities across the state get the chance to recognize the many contributions of their local existing industries,” he said.
“As part of the celebrations, each community also gets to nominate a local manufacturer to be recognized as Manufacturer of the Year. There’s a small, medium and large category.”
For her part, LeRoux was thrilled to hear the news.
“We are very excited to have been nominated for 2016 Manufacturer of the Year. We resisted the trend to outsource the manufacturing of our products out-of-state or overseas and feel gratified by the benefits that our facility on St. Simons Island provides to the community, as well as all of the support we have received from Glynn County and the State of Georgia,” she said. “Having experienced firsthand the challenges of the recent economic recession, it is more important now than ever that we continue to grow our manufacturing base. We love being a part of that progress.”
In addition to One Love, picked for the small category, Rich’s Seafood was chosen for the medium manufacturing category, and Georgia Pacific-Brunswick Cellulose was selected for the large category. Smith says the groups nominate businesses based on their longevity and impact on the local economy. That was certainly the case for the two large companies, Scott says.
“Brunswick Cellulose employs over 500 people in and around Glynn County and they have an annual payroll in excess of $60 million. They employ over 3,000 people in Coastal Georgia. They’ve also been investing significantly in upgrading their plant. In 2015 alone they reinvested $110 million,” he said.
“We also felt that people don’t recognize the economic impact that Brunswick Cellulose has on our local economy and we wanted to bring that to everyone’s attention. In 2015, Brunswick Cellulose paid over $4 million in local taxes. That’s huge.”
Rich’s Seafood has also made a huge impact, investing in the community for more than 40 years.
“They have a manufacturing plant on the mainland and a headquarters office on St. Simons. Combined, they employ nearly 400 people. Rich’s has also taken a very active role in partnering with our local school system,” Scott said.
“Every semester they host students from the Golden Isles Career Academy to tour the manufacturing operations. I got to tour the plant with the engineer students from GICA and they were completely fascinated with all the machinery and equipment.”
While One Love Organics is smaller and newer than its co-nominees, Scott says its inspiring story helps to set it apart.
“One Love Organics produces organic beauty products and they’re widely recognized as having some of the best products available. They’re one of only 10 companies in the entire United States to achieve an EcoCert licensed manufacturing facility,” he said.
Scott enjoys the opportunity to celebrate local industry and feels that they can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. He feels this week is important because it’s an opportunity for us to recognize the many contributions from our local manufacturers.
“Manufacturing makes up some of the highest paid jobs in the county and they pay a huge portion of the local taxes. Recognizing the contributions of local manufacturers is important because it creates a positive business climate,” he said.
“This is a way that we can show other businesses who are considering locating in the Golden Isles that they have our support for the long run. I believe that you should have no expectation to get new businesses if you’re not willing to take care of those you already have.”
Reporter Lindsey Adkison writes about business and other local topics. Contact her at ladkison@thebrunswicknews.com on Facebook or at 265-8320 ext. 346.