At last Thursday’s annual Chamber of Commerce event, Premium Waters received the Industry Partner of the Year Award. This award recognizes the industry partner as a valued member of the Chamber of Commerce and celebrates the contribution of the industry to retain and grow jobs, and may consider capital investment, direct or indirect job growth and innovative approaches to business operations. Mike Lord, plant manager, accepted the award on behalf of Premium Waters.
Premium Waters is a tremendous asset to our community. The company was founded in 1994 when it was incorporated by the Chesterman Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has continued to expand throughout the United States. Today it has eight manufacturing facilities in eight different states: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Quincy, Illinois; Greeneville, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Fort Worth, Texas; Riverside, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Douglas, Georgia
Premium Waters began hiring its first employees in Douglas in October of 2007. Soon after, production followed during the first quarter of 2008. Beginning with 30 employees, they have now grown to 100 and will have approximately 110 employees with the addition of a Variety Pack line this year.
Mike Lord shared that the greatest challenge PWI faces is the market fluctuation of raw materials and the increase in transportation costs, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges, PWI company values state, “We are committed to the continued development of our employees. We consider them to be our most asset. Watching them develop and grow is our greatest reward. We believe the success of the company can be attributed to building lasting relationships with customers, exceeding the expectations of the customers we serve, developing our employees and aggressively attacking the waste in everything we do,” he says.