Emphasis On Manufacturing Pays Off For Edmonds Dental Prosthetics

What do Kraft Foods, 3M and Edmonds Dental Prosthetics have in common? They've all had the distinguished privilege of being named Manufacturer of the Year by the Springfield, Missouri area Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the accomplishments of local manufacturing firms and showcases the significant impact of manufacturing on the local community.

"Dental laboratories have historically been thought of as artistic entities so to be deemed a 'manufacturer' is an honor. Whether you operate a one-person or 100-person laboratory, you're a manufacturer of a custom product," says Bob Edmonds, owner of the full service, 117-person laboratory, which received the 11th annual award last December.

Each summer, the Chamber of Commerce calls for Manufacturer of the Year nominations. One of the seven 2005 nominees, Edmonds Dental Prosthetics was nominated by Ozarks Technical Community College, with whom the laboratory had worked on a state program...