GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – Plastics News, one of the nation’s top publications covering the plastics industry, today named Grand Rapids-based Cascade Engineering its 2001 Processor of the Year in an awards ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.

Cascade Engineering was chosen for a combination of excellence in a number of areas, including customer service, community service, environmental leadership, manufacturing excellence, innovation and technology leadership.

“We work very hard to excel in all these areas,” said Michael Valz, president and chief operating officer of Cascade Engineering. “It is part of a larger effort to create a sustainable organization for the future. As such, this recognition from a respected publication like Plastics News is very affirming and very satisfying.”

Valz accepted the award on the company’s behalf. The Processor of the Year designation is the latest in a string of prestigious awards for Cascade Engineering, including:

• Chrysler Corporation’s Role Model for Technology Award (1997)
• Michigan Manufacturer of the Year for CEO Fred P. Keller (1998)
• Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership (1998)
• Corporation of the Year – Minority Business Award (2000)

Valz credited Cascade Engineering employees for the company’s continued success and recognition.

“The only way to do well in all of these areas is to have a professional, dedicated, well-trained team,” Valz said. “We are blest with such a team in every corner of the company. We are pleased Plastics News has recognized what we strive to show our customers every day.”