Plastics thermoformer Duo Form is a Top Three Finalist for the 2022 MFG Excellence Award, presented by the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA).
The MMA will honor the winners of the 2022 MFG Excellence Awards during a celebration on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in Lansing. Duo Form is being considered for this honor due to “its dedication and expertise in the industry,” the organization said.
It goes on to say, “The MFG Excellence Awards is the annual statewide celebration of the exceptional contributions that Michigan manufacturers make to their workforce, their communities, the economy and the industry. The program promotes the inspiring stories of Michigan’s manufacturing industry, the thousands of unique manufacturing companies across the state, the hundreds of thousands of Michiganders employed in the industry and the local communities that support it.”
Duo Form, an ISO 9001:2015-certified heavy gauge plastic thermoformer, provides a variety of thermoformed products to the RV industry used by internationally recognized businesses including a complete line of skylights, bath and RV lifestyle products. Last year, the company expanded its RV parts offering to the ever-growing RV aftermarket – and has launched more than a dozen products designed and developed especially for existing RV owners wanting to repair and rehab or update and modernize their existing RV.
“We have reinvented the way we think about employee culture and engagement,” said Shelly Ditmer, Duo Form president, “and have made a significant effort to further diversify our work force in order to help increase employee morale and instill a desire to be more effective and work more efficiently. We have promoted more people from within, from the factory production floor to mid-level and senior management in the last two years than we ever have, and we have found that this kind of engagement with our staff and overall, DUO culture has resulted in increased productivity and effectiveness. We are proud to be ddeveloping among other things, the creation of a Culture Task Force and a Duo Safety Team.”
Beyond the dedication to building the strongest team they can, and developing new and sustainable products for diverse partners across the spectrum, the company said it has also made it its mission to have the top manufacturing standard for sustainability. Even having included that goal in their updated Mission Statement for 2022-23.
“It’s part of our MISSION to care for the planet, and make plastics manufacturing as safe and eco-friendly as possible,” Ditmer said. “DUO Cares about the ‘cycle of respect’ for the futures of our families and communities. We understand that our operations affect the environment, thus being environmentally responsible is an essential part of our Duo Difference philosophy.”
Duo has a dedicated Recycling Supervisor to ensure recycling protocols are upheld in everything in their production process from raw materials to final product. And to further their commitment to making a difference, “We ensure our partners are like-minded in their sustainability practices and that they are also good stewards for the environment. This enables us to use material with as much recycled content that is viable for the end product as demonstrated in our proprietary line which contains 90% recycled material,” Ditmer added.
“It’s a major honor to be considered as a top three finalist for the 2022 MFG Excellence Award,” said Mike Gonser, DUO’s vice president of operations, “and we are proud to represent Southwestern Lower Michigan and celebrate this recognition to Michigan’s workforce, communities, and economy.”
