2023 CMA Finalists: Thoughts on a fabulous class, and a look back at past CMAs

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The finalist group has taken shape for the 2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards, and this year’s roster of nominees and finalists again represent Colorado and CMA alumni with distinction.

The CMAs were founded in 2016 to showcase manufacturing like it hadn’t been seen before — a mix of makers and manufacturers and dreamers and doers across a range of industries. As we celebrate the 2023 Finalist class (ten winners from six categories will emerge this year), here’s a few highlights from seven prior years — years in which so much has happened to amplify the importance of U.S. manufacturing and the companies we recognize.

The CMAs have done their part. The list of past winners is a Colorado Manufacturing Hall of Fame.

The program has always been about small and medium manufacturers, and the early events were marked by genuine appreciation among companies for the opportunity to meet manufacturers from other industries — a cacophony of “I didn’t know you made that here” — a halo that carries on to today.

The inaugural 2016 event brought together beer makers (Ska Brewing won the first Beer & Brewing CMA) with medical device OEMs (Mountainside Medical) and aerospace contract manufacturers (Faustson Tool). Companies in eight industries overall joined together in the same room, at the same time. There was palpable curiosity and collegiality. Ross Reels and RK began storied CMA runs.

In 2017, Marcia Coulson was awarded the first Colorado Manufacturing Woman of the Year CMA, a class that was, for me, also defined by deft technicians in nanoscience (Forge Nano – a finalist this year), 3D printing (Aleph Objects), brewing (Crooked Stave), and food (MycoTechnology).

2018 had a true statewide feel, with winners from Crested Butte (Montanya Distillers – the first CMA Craft Distiller of Year), Fort Collins (Manes Machine), Woodland Park (Blue Moon Goodness) and Loveland, home of Lightning eMotors, who would go on to be the first CMA winner to IPO. Aerospace manufacturing began a blue-chip run with Manes Machine. An all-star roster including Barber-Nichols (twice), SG Aerospace, and Special Aerospace Services has followed.

The 2019 CMA was a raucous affair with memorable acceptance speeches from winners like Wild Zora, Boyer’s Coffee, WeldWerks Brewing, Tharp Cabinet Company, Wana Brands, and yes, Infectious Disease Research Center at CSU. The class as a whole was thriving; manufacturing was truly back, and Colorado companies were leading the charge.

2020 was the first of two consecutive virtual COVID-era CMAs — and was memorable for profound commentary as companies navigated wretched conditions that were especially onerous for small businesses. Nevertheless, entire teams from Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora, Meier Skis in Denver, and StickerGiant in Longmont accepted CMAs. Littleton’s Carboy Winery won the first CMA Winery of the Year.

We tried twice to celebrate in person in 2021, but finally succumbed to the inevitability of meeting virtually to recognize another standout class — a reality that didn’t faze Steamboat’s Moots, who tapped off its 40th anniversary celebration with the Consumer Brand CMA. 2021 was notable for its compelling mix of established industry standouts — like Sundyne and Encore Electric — alongside up-and-coming brands led by ambitious entrepreneurs at Storm King Distilling in Montrose, City Star Brewing in Berthoud, and Titan Robotics in Colorado Springs.

Back in person and on stage in 2022, the assembled crowd seemed to revel in being together, but also in celebrating significant accomplishments. It was a stellar class — driven home by fun and compelling speeches from Karen Hertz (Holidaily), Tim Fry (Mountain Racing Products), Patrice Matysiewski (Sauvage Spectrum), Diana Hall (ActiveArmor), Meghan Marsden (Veil Intimates), and generally, every winner.

Here we go, 2023.

This year is already distinguished by the Finalist class (judges will select one winner from each of five categories) including national and global standouts like Windsor’s Walker Manufacturing, Colorado Springs’ dpiX, Thorton’s Forge Nano, and Grand Junction’s Leitner-Poma. RK is looking to become the first three-time CMA winner. This list is longer — and equally compelling.

As we recognize past winners, it’s important to say again that every CMA nominee is valued, and every second taken to submit a nomination is appreciated. The CMAs have always been about the entire community. ALL manufacturing is mission-critical: innovation, ethos, ideas, energy — all flow freely across manufacturing industries.

Support each other by attending the 2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards gala and winners reveal, Thursday afternoon, May 11, a kick-off to the first Colorado Manufacturing Summit on May 12.

And contact me anytime.

Bart Taylor is publisher of CompanyWeek. Email him at btaylor@companyweek.com.

2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards finalists: Consumer Product and Craft Food & Beverage

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After previewing the finalists for Technology Manufacturing and Industrial & Equipment Manufacturing at the upcoming 2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards, the spotlight is on the contenders for trophies in the Consumer Product Manufacturing and Craft Food & Beverage Manufacturing categories.

Consumer Product Manufacturer of the Year

Buena Vista’s Fading West is modeling growth by meeting the acute need for affordable housing, and as more and more pre-manufactured homes leave its mountain factory, people benefit and great things happen — as they also do at Denver’s mission-driven Mile High WorkShop, a second-chance employment engine that puts light assembly and manufacturing work at the center of people’s lives in support of needy OEMs and brands.

Golden’s Supertramp Campers is doing overland campers right, crafting innovative and eye-opening composite shells — light, strong, and clearly the future. Pueblo’s Boreas Campers is a worthy adversary, fattening up this fast-growth outdoor industry category for CMA judges to sort out.

One of Colorado’s most iconic consumer brands, Denver’s Topo Designs has aptly navigated obstacles that litter the path for gear and apparel brands, and more growth beckons. Another Denver standout, HookFish Manufacturing continues to fill the acute need many apparel brands have for regional contract manufacturing. Louisville’s Quicksilver Scientific just doesn’t seem to slow down, tapping the global boom in health and beauty commerce.

Craft Food & Beverage Manufacturer of the Year

Boulder’s Claremont Foods is a leader among a superlative batch of co-manufacturers that continue to catalyze growth for Colorado’s signature industry. Denver’s Polidori Sausage builds on incredible products and deep ties to the community to sustain success. Boulder denizen Sanitas Brewing Company is widening its community gaze with a key expansion into Englewood.

In Bailey, Aspen Peak Cellars‘ wines are recent Governor’s Cup winners, but the story only starts with wine. Durango’s upstart Farm to Summit is perfecting “gourmet dehydrated meals sustainably.” And Colorado’s cornucopia of food and beverage brands couldn’t go to market without key partners in the supply chain like Colorado Springs-based Packaging Express.

Look for more coverage of the 2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards finalists in the next CO Mfg. Report.

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday May 11 for the CMA Gala & Winners Reveal to celebrate one of America’s most compelling manufacturing outposts.

2023 Colorado Manufacturing Awards finalists: Technology and Industrial & Equipment Manufacturing

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One measure of manufacturing’s improbable decade-long comeback is the list of Colorado Manufacturing Awards (CMA) past finalists and winners, from the inaugural event in 2016 to last year. Today it’s a roster of recognizable companies and brands that collectively, has become a national model for manufacturing’s new industrial mix.

Colorado companies and people continue to shine. In this 8th annual CMA program, manufacturers were nominated in four broad industry categories that at once capture Colorado’s distinctive diversity, but at the same time recognize both sides of the supply chain — contractor and supplier.

Here then, are the list of finalists in two categories: Technology Manufacturing and Industrial & Equipment Manufacturing. Two winners will emerge from each category, a Manufacturer of the Year and Contract Manufacturer of the Year.

In the next CO Mfg. Report, we’ll showcase finalists in Consumer Manufacturing and Craft Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Colorado Manufacturing Woman of the Year finalists, and Colorado Manufacturing Advocate of the Year finalists.

Industrial & Equipment Manufacturing | Finalists

Windsor’s Walker Manufacturing inspires a passion for its products reserved for a select group of American companies. The quiet company stays focused on customers and employees, but the loyalty and enthusiasm for its bulletproof mowers speaks volumes. Grand Junction’s Munro Companies manufactures and assembles professional-grade valves and other irrigation equipment, but also is an important anchor in the Western Slope’s underpublicized industrial sector. It also includes GJ’s ski-lift icon Leitner-Poma, a company known for its rugged mountain-based solutions even as it eyes growth in urban transportation systems.

Denver’s LTM Plastics is transforming injection molding into a high-tech affair, with outcomes that promise to improve U.S. global competitiveness. Louisville’s AMP Robotics is utilizing AI at scale in equipment that sorts and processes millions of disparate recyclable products and pieces to improve the “global recycling system.” Denver’s RK Mission Critical taps a history of regional infrastructure contributions to build more sustainable modular building solutions to crypto-mining and other growth industries.

Technology Manufacturing | Finalists

Colorado Springs-based Blue Line Engineering is a key contributor in Lockheed Martin’s aerospace supply chain and a standout player in Colorado’s rich ecosystem. Neighboring dpiX gives the Springs two standout finalists, and the global leader in a-Si technology is also a semiconductor foundry and rising star in America’s industry push. Loveland’s Vergent Products is a design-to-manufacturing contract specialist with multi-industry ties and a growing regional facility footprint.

Thornton’s nanoscience standout Forge Nano continues its rapid global rise providing key materials at microscale for a cross-section of industrial clients. Also in Thornton, Intrex Aerospace is bringing advanced machining and fabricating acumen to aerospace OEMs alongside standouts like Blue Line Engineering. And Berthoud’s Ursa Major Technologies‘ rocket engines hold promise in resetting America’s lagging global position in propulsion systems for space launch and emerging hypersonic defense systems.

View the Finalists in Consumer Product and Craft Food & Beverage Manufacturing here>>

Join us on the afternoon of Thursday May 11 for the CMA Gala & Winners Reveal to celebrate one of America’s most compelling manufacturing outposts.