Uchiyama America is honored as Wayne's Industry of the Year
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 24, 2014 2:28 PM
sherring@newsargus.com
The Wayne County Development Alliance honored two local companies Thursday as part of its annual Industry Celebration luncheon at the Goldsboro Country Club.
Uchiyama America earned Wayne County Industry of the Year honors, while Turner Equipment Co. received the first Why Wayne Works Award.
Industry Celebration Week honors the county's existing industries, which provide stability and growth in the community, said Mike Haney, the Alliance's existing industry specialist and interim president.
"Wayne County has approximately 60 manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and machine shops that employ almost 9,000 people," Haney said. "The products produced range from automotive, electronics and aviation to plastics, food and technical support.
"They all play a very significant role. They invest money and pay taxes. They employ our citizens. They contribute to local charities ... and they provide our community with leaders and leadership."
Uchiyama America, located on Arrington Bridge Road, has been in the county for 17 years and has 320 employees.
It manufactures hub seals and gaskets for the automotive industry.
"Almost every car on the road has a Uchiyama part in it," plant manager Nick Gambella said. "The company is worldwide and has been in business about 100 years."
He accepted the award on behalf of the company's management -- and employees.
"(Winning the award) is very humbling," he said. "We want to be a big player in the community and a supporter of the community."
The company's products are a niche item, but that doesn't stop Uchiyama America from working with all of the automotive industries, Gambella said.
"Our labor costs and our competitive costs margins are very, very small so we have to be very creative on how we do things," he said.
The company was among the first to utilize job profiles, Haney said, and supports the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and the Small Business Center.
Haney said most people in their travels can say they have been in some communities that just seem to have an "extraordinary amount" of energy.
It comes down to community pride and leadership that "makes it all work" for those communities, he said.
"Oftentimes, it's a trickle down effect from these leaders to their employees, their families and their neighbors," Haney said. "That is the theme for a new award called 'Why Wayne Works.' We think our community is one of these 'movers and shakers.' Today we are going to single out a company that has definitely been a leader in our community in a number of areas."
Turner Equipment Co. has operated in Wayne County since 1939 and has been a member of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce since 1968.
It has been involved with the county United Way since it was still being called the Community Chest, Haney said, and has received the Bush Andrews award 13 times since 1993.
The company is also a contributor to Impact Wayne and has been active in the Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Communities in Schools, Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Wayne Uplift Resource Association and the Wayne Opportunity Center.