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| A Tradition of Industrial Excellence The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier is proud of the long tradition and commitment to industrial excellence that our community represents. Manufacturing has been and still remains the backbone of our community and has played an integral role in building the foundation of the Jamestown area, our county and our region. Moreover, wealth and opportunity has been provided to many families in our community through manufacturing. At the Manufacturers Association, we believe that through collaboration, hard work and by maximizing our community’s potential we will build upon and expand our community’s manufacturing base. Manufacturers in Chautauqua County are dedicated to quality, customer service and continue to carry on with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Leaders of industry and their employees have navigated their companies through difficult times to regain prosperity. Therefore, we are confident in our community’s potential. Generations of families have manufactured products in this community and we are confident that many future generations will experience the success of their forefathers. The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier has a long, distinguished and unique history. Founded in 1900, the association was one of the first organizations of its kind and became a model for other associations throughout the United States. 1900 - 1950 The Association: * founded Jamestown Mutual Insurance Company to help control the high cost of insurance. * founded Jamestown Industries, Inc. to conduct group purchasing. * maintained a Public Relations Program with professional counsel. * established and maintained an Employment Bureau, interviewing and screening 1,000 prospects per year. * merged with the Jamestown Area Furniture Manufactures Association, Inc. and operated a pool car service to ease the cost of transportation. The pool car service involved a group of furniture manufacturers from the region who pooled their resources to purchase freight service to the west coast. 1950-Present The Association: * established and maintained a Medical Bureau to reduce time lost from work and provided special care for industrial accident patients. * conducted its own educational and training classes. * collaborating with others, the association was instrumental in the creation of a new education programs including: skills upgrading through an MBA program, Supervisory Training, Occupational Awareness for Teachers, Maintenance Training, Engineering Classes, the creation of a Jr. Achievement Program and programming through the Private Industry Council. * was instrumental in the establishment of the Labor Management Committee of the Jamestown Area. * helped establish the Chadakoin Industrial Revitalization Program, which brought more than $6,000,000 to the community. * played a key role in Allegheny Airlines decision to establish commuter air services in Jamestown. * was pro-active in the creation of WCA Hospital's Industrial Medical Services. * strongly advocated for the construction of the Chautauqua Lake Bridge * had an integral role in the completion of Route 17. * participates in county-wide efforts to encourage regionalism, shared services and cost reduction in the public sector. * in cooperation with the Chautauqua Health Network and the Jamestown Area Labor Management Committee the Association has created the Chautauqua Plan in an effort to assure high quality, accessible and affordable health care throughout the community. * in cooperation with Jamestown Community College, the Association created the Manufacturing Technology Institute and current has a management role in the training facility. Your Association Today The Manufacturers Association remains a pro-active leader, committed to enhancing the economic strength of the region, by acting as a primary resource for information and assistance to promote manufacturing excellence. The membership of the association accounts for over 9,000 employees, $250 million in annual payroll, $600 million invested in plant and equipment, 250 acres of production space and $1.5 billion in annual sales. The Association works with government and various organizations to define and address the economic development needs of the manufacturing community. We believe that the strength of our community is dependent upon our ability to work together, to share resources and share ideas. The growth of our county is predicated upon the ability of industry, the public sector, business organizations and labor collaborating to address our common goals and concerns. The Association is a strong advocate for the needs of manufacturers whether it be workforce development needs, environmental issues, infrastructure development, workers compensation, health care cost containment or tax relief. We are committed to assuring the best possible business environment for manufacturing to prosper and grow with the objective of creating jobs that will sustain our community into the new millennium. |
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