May 12, 2025
By Phil Centonze, Director, Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence Award, Managing Partner, POS-IMPACT LLC
The Sterling Council announces five manufacturers have earned the 2025 Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence (SMBE) Award. The SMBE Awards and
recognition is given annually to regional manufacturers who achieve high levels of performance in several categories, including leadership, strategy, customer and market focus, measurement, analysis, knowledge management, workforce, and operations. The 2025 SMBE recognition is given to:
Gold Recipients:
- Amerikooler, LLC, Hialeah, FL (www.amerikooler.com)
- Bausch + Lomb Pharmaceuticals, Tampa, FL (bausch.com/about-bausch-lomb/)
Silver Recipient:
- BlueWind Technology, LLC, Pensacola, FL (https://bluewindtechnology.com)
Bronze Recipients:
- A&M Manufacturing, Inc., Alachua, FL (ammanufacturing.com)
- T.D. Enterprises, Inc., Lutz, FL (www.jtd-ent.com)
“The Sterling Council is proud to honor and celebrate these five outstanding manufacturers, each of whom has demonstrated excellence and leadership in our regional manufacturing sector. Their commitment to high performance and innovation is truly commendable,” said Roland Martinez, Chairman of the Sterling Council. “These companies have undergone a rigorous evaluation process, demonstrating their ability to tackle strategic challenges and effectively align resources to achieve long-term success. They exemplify the very best in regional manufacturing. On behalf of The Sterling Council and our valued regional partners, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each company for this well-earned recognition.”
These five companies rose to the top in a field of 100 regional manufacturers nominated for this year’s awards. A team of Sterling Council-trained examiners and manufacturing community representatives contributed their time and expertise to evaluate the nominees, including virtual site visits and interviews with leaders and employees of each manufacturer.
The Sterling Council will celebrate and showcase these companies as they receive their awards at the 33rd Sterling Conference Awards Banquet on May 30, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. They will be featured in plant tours and other activities for sharing best practices to benefit the region’s manufacturing sector. For more information about the SMBE Award, please visit https://thesterlingcouncil.org/smbea/ or contact The Sterling Council at SMBEA@thesterlingcouncil.org.