NTMA Member Alle-Kiski Industries Named 2011 Manufacturer of the Year

For the past nine years, the Pittsburgh Business Times has been recognizing area manufacturers with their “Manufacturer of the Year” award. Consistently, NTMA member companies make the finals, and this year is no exception with Alle-Kiski Industries winning in the under 50 employees category.
Alle-Kiski is a precision machining and fabrication shop that helps defense, energy, industrial and transportation customers solve problems.
Kevin Hartford president of Alle-Kiski says when they started the business, the really didn’t know what to expect. “I knew we had done our homework and had put together a solid business plan. I knew my partner, Ed Newell, had at the time, almost three decades of invaluable experience and was widely respected throughout the industry. We knew we had a strong team ready to work hard. The trepidation was with the marketplace. What could we expect? You think you know but as with any new venture there’s always that fear that the unexpected lurked around the next corner.”
He says hard work and perseverance have been the key to success for their company. “It’s been an amazing six years and we’d like to thank our 30 plus incredibly loyal employees who have made this happen with their dedication, professionalism and skill sets which are second to none,” says the Allegheny Township-based business man. According to Hartford, a very special thank you goes out to four key employees who believed in the company enough to invest in Alle-Kiski Industries. “We’d also like to thank our financial partners (Enterprise Bank & Bridgeway Capital) who believed in us and the NTMA for giving us an immediate network of likeminded sister shops who we could talk to, learn from and do business with.” Speaking more about the company’s NTMA involvement Hartford says, “I’d especially like to thank the NTMA Pittsburgh Chapter board who has taught me so much about the industry and have put their trust in me as their chapter president. It’s a great team made up of tremendous individuals all of whom have the best interest of the chapter and the industry at heart.”
Hartford says special thanks go to families and friends whose love, support and unremitting encouragement kept them strong, especially in the very beginning.
Also finalists in this year’s competition: Jennison Manufacturing Group of Carnegie, PA in the 50-99 employee category and Accrotool located in New Kensington, PA in the category for companies with 100-299 employees.
Kurt J. Lesker Company was named the 2010 Manufacturer of the Year in the large company category. The company is a long standing member of the Pittsburgh Chapter NTMA as well.
The winning companies were honored at an event Thursday evening at the Omni William Penn Hotel. Congratulations to all of our member company finalists and winners.
VISIT OUR CHAPTER WEBSITE AT: www.pghntma.org