In such an exciting year for manufacturing in Nebraska, the question of who deserves to be recognized for their talent and work is a tough one–there are so many successful industry leaders located in our state, and the economic growth in our communities has been extraordinary. This year, that type of hard work and innovation paid off for local company Hornady Manufacturing in Grand Island.

At the Nebraska Products Show for Business and Industry that we mentioned on the blog earlier, the company was named the 2014 Manufacturer of the Year (also recognized was Lincoln Industries in Lincoln) for their immense success and growth in recent years. Since the company’s foundation in 1949 by current owner Steve Hornady’s father Joyce, the Grand Island company has grown into one of the “world’s leading manufacturers of bullets and ammunition” said award presenter Tony Urban.

Hornady’s tag line is “Accurate, Deadly, and Dependable”–all certainly qualities that one would like their firearm to possess. From handguns to rifles to bullets and more, the company manufactures a series of product lines designed for hunters and shooters. Their pride is ensuring that every product that comes out of their assembly line is of the very highest quality and standard to provide maximum performance and effectiveness. How do they know what that quality standard may be? Well, their staff of technicians and ballisticians that hunt and shoot help to create products that they would be satisfied with using themselves. In other words, the best.

The company’s rapid growth in distribution now allows them to employ over three hundred people at their Grand Island plant. The recognition of U.S based manufacturers like Hornady is one of the reasons for the Nebraska Products Show for Business and Industry, said Jerry Jasinowski, business commentator and former president of the National Association of Manufacturers.

“The new manufacturing that I want to stress is one that is not outsourcing anymore,” he said. “That era is over. That is retro. The new manufacturing is one that is much more U.S.-based. The technology has brought people back here. The wage rates have equalized. Energy costs are down. Most of the firms I have talked to are bringing back the outsourcing that they have done because they have found that it is much more economical, quicker and better here,” reported the Grand Island Independent.

Along with the recognition of Hornady and Lincoln industries, over two hundred exhibitions took place at the Nebraska Products Show. According to Robert P. Mancuso, chief executive officer of Mid-America Expositions, the show was the largest industrial expo in Nebraska this year. It’s a great year in Nebraska for manufacturing, and exciting to see the industry and products that come along with it.

To learn more about Hornady, check out our manufacturer profile from a few months back or leave a comment in the section below!

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