Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 7230 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 6 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 31 Cives Steel Company Southern Division has been a leader of the manufacturing community in Thomas County for more than 35 years. The company manufactures quality steel products using innovative manufacturing processes, and they are exceptional corporate and community partners. - Craig Wentworth Orff said even though Cives’ employees remain with the company for many years, there is a continual need to hire local employees. Having a productive partnership with Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) helps Cives hire and train a highly skilled workforce. Dennis Lee, vice president for Economic Development at SRTC, said that welding and maintenance technicians are in demand at Cives and other industries in South Georgia. “The welding program at Southern Regional Technical College is important to our service region because of the companies that require quality welders to sustain their productivity,” Lee said. “Cives Steel, Cleaver Brooks, Hurst Boilers are located in Thomas County, and welding is the backbone of the productivity of each company. The college is eager to work with the businesses in our region to develop the workforce so existing businesses are competitive, and future businesses will have the labor with the skills that are required to meet their requirements.” SRTC nominated Cives for the Georgia Small Manufacturer of the Year Award, based on demonstrated corporate responsibility including community involvement and educational partnerships; demonstrated economic growth and impact related to revenues and growth of new jobs; and workforce excellence through programs that help employees balance work and family life issues, education programs, and employee recognition. SRTC also nominated six other regional industries: American Textile Company, Flowers Banking Company, Graco Fertilizer Company, Laurie Jo’s Southern Style Canning, National Beef, and Phoenix Wood Products. “Cives Steel Company, Southern Division, has been a leader of the manufacturing community in Thomas County for more than 35 years. The company manufactures quality steel products using innovative manufacturing processes, and they are exceptional corporate and community partners,” said SRTC President Craig Wentworth. “This is the first time a company located in this community has won the Manufacturer of the Year Award, and I congratulate Cives Steel Company Southern Division on this extraordinary honor.” Orff said placing the Southern Division facility in Thomasville has proven to be the best choice for the company to grow and become part of a community. “There is a strong sense of economic development in Thomasville and we get support from the community and state,” said Orff. “There is a skilled workforce that is important to any company.” Headquartered in Roswell, Georgia, Orff said each division operates autonomously. “We are a national company, but each division buys its resources from local vendors. With 145 employees we pump a lot of payroll into the community, along with services and consumable items, such as electricity and office supplies, which are all purchased locally. We also buy the steel we use from local vendors.” The economic impact of Cives Steel is greatly acknowledged and appreciated within the community. “Cives Steel is a fantastic community partner, and we are extremely proud of their progress and growth,” said Shelly Zorn, executive director of Thomasville- Thomas County Economic Development Authority. “We greatly appreciate their investment in our community since 1981. They continue to provide jobs, capital investment, and an annual payroll of $5.5 million to our local economy. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.” Orff said the Thomasville location was selected primarily due to its location in the region. “When Cives established the facility in 1981, they wanted to establish somewhere that could service Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina. Now that has grown to include parts of the Caribbean.” Finding a “livable city” was another factor in Cives selecting Thomasville for its Southern Division. “We look for a city where people want to live. When we open a new facility, we often bring some employees from an existing plant to seed that facility and bring the Cives culture. It is important that there is a good quality of life,” Orff said. “To do this you have to put a facility in an area where people want to go, and Thomasville is very much like this, it is a quintessential small southern town.” Cives and its employees live and work in the community and believe it is important to give back to various organizations and programs. “We try to be good stewards in the community,” said Orff, who has been in Thomasville six years and with Cives 27 years. “Our employees have children who attend school in the community, and because our employees are owners in the company we have a strong sense of social responsibility to be part of the community.” Cives supports the Thomasville Center for the Arts, Hands On Thomas County, and the Archbold Foundation. “Cives Southern Division has been a vibrant part of this community’s industrial economy since 1981,” said Lauren Basford, executive director of the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce. “Their high quality structural steel coupled with their ability to supply projects nationwide have helped put Thomasville, Georgia on the map. But, more importantly, what they are probably best known for is this dedication to making Thomas County a better place for its employees and their families.” Larry Christian, who has been with Cives since it opened in 1981, uses a wireless tablet with Cives’ proprietary production software to record the loading and shipping of each individual steel piece to be delivered to the jobsite for assembly. PHOTO: PAT GALLAGHER