Stork Gamco, a maker of automated poultry processing equipment, was nominated by Lanier Technical College.

"Stork Gamco has been a real pillar of the manufacturing community for a long time," said Russell Vandiver, vice president for economic development at Lanier Tech. "They are expanding, and seeing them add 30 jobs is a big boost."

Stork Gamco was nominated in the medium category of 151 to 750 employees. The statewide award was presented to Tallapoosa’s Honda Precision Parts of Georgia.

Also nominated in the small industry category was Buhler Quality Yarns Corp. of Jefferson. The carpet yarn maker is planning a $1.25 million expansion this year.

Spectral Response of Duluth was the statewide winner in the small industry category.

In the large industry category, top honors went to Lockheed-Martin Aeronautics Co. of Marietta.

The awards are presented annually at a luncheon at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

Vandiver said holding the event is an import sign of the strength of industry in Georgia."We have 400,000 manufacturing jobs in Georgia and that number keeps dropping. The jobs we will keep are the ones that will be able to sustain themselves for years and years to come."

The program featured a keynote address by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle of Chestnut Mountain.

"We’re saying to each of you, we’re going to be a partner and we understand your needs and we want to help," Cagle said. "When we talk about jobs and economic development and when we talk about people like you that have significant investments in our state, we’ve got to retain you. When you have a need, we want to be there to help you."

Cagle also paid tribute to the growing number of career academies and their ability to retain students and place them in successful jobs.