Coverstar Inc. was named Utah's Manufacturer of the Year by Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and the Governor's Office of Economic Development at an awards dinner in the state Capitol.

The Lindon-based company, which was selected because if its size and growth, produces automatic swimming pool covers that are distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Coverstar Inc. now controls about 40 percent of the market, Smith said.

The company has had a compounded annual growth rate of 20 to 25 percent for the past five years and expects it to continue for at least the next five. Smith turned to MEP Utah last year to help the company keep up.

MEP Utah, a nonprofit group with a government mandate to boost manufacturing, designed and implemented a lean manufacturing program to make the Lindon plant more efficient. The company can accommodate 25 percent growth this year without adding to its staff, which is about 95 employees during the summer and 80 during the winter.

MEP "taught us the techniques and forced us to do [lean manufacturing] ourselves," Smith said. "We're very honored" to receive this award.

Communications Systems-West, the Salt Lake City division of New York-based L-3 Communications, was named Utah's major Manufacturer of the Year, a category created for manufacturers with more than 100 employees. CSW, which produces reconnaissance and surveillance technology for the federal government, employs 2,300 people in Utah, including 1,000 engineers.

The awards program also recognized several other Utah manufacturers for achievements in areas such as innovation, information technology, marketing and environmental stewardship.

"These companies have made significant and important contributions to their market segments." said Michael Sullivan, spokesman for the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "Although we have fewer numbers of employees in manufacturing, we have reached one of the largest peaks of manufacturing as a percentage of the [Gross Domestic Product] in history."

rwinters@sltrib.com

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To attend local luncheons honoring these companies, call Melanie Butterfield, 801-368-0468.

2005 MEP winners

l Manufacturer of the Year: Coverstar Inc., Lindon

l Major Manufacturer of the Year: Communications Systems-West, Salt Lake City

l Innovation and Technology Commercialization: Dupont Holographics, Logan; and Elkay West Corp., Ogden

l IT Edge: American Pacific Corp., Cedar City

l Rural Development: La-Z-Boy, Tremonton; Paiute Trailers, Salina; and Smead Manufacturing, Cedar City

l Environmental Consciousness: Staker & Parson Co.,

Ogden

l Continuous Improvement: Futura Industries, Clearfield

l Marketing and Sales Expansion: Cobblestones Activewear, Salt Lake City