The Manufacturers’ Association marked a major milestone last week, celebrating its 120th Annual Event in York, PA, an evening that blended a look back at the region’s industrial heritage with a recognition of the businesses and individuals shaping its future.

The event drew manufacturers, community leaders, and industry partners from across the region and featured a keynote address from Marcus Luttrell, retired Navy SEAL and bestselling author, whose story of perseverance resonated strongly with an audience of business owners and operators who know something about resilience.

Honoring a Founding Father

Perhaps the most historically significant moment of the evening came with the posthumous recognition of Thomas Shipley, who received the Association’s Manufacturing Trailblazer Award, a distinction that functions as the organization’s hall of fame.

Shipley’s story is one of the more remarkable chapters in York’s industrial history. In 1899, he took the helm of the York Manufacturing Company and wasted little time making his mark. Within two years, he had expanded employment tenfold. A few years later, the company had captured 50% of the U.S. refrigeration market, making it the largest refrigeration manufacturer in the country.

What Shipley built didn’t stop with him. The company evolved into York International, and later Johnson Controls, businesses that, at their peak, employed more than 20,000 people, generated over $4 billion in annual revenue, and became a critical supplier to the U.S. Navy. Johnson Controls Navy Systems, still headquartered in York, accepted the award on Shipley’s behalf.

Beyond the factory floor, Shipley invested deeply in the community. He was a founding officer of the Manufacturers’ Association itself, serving first as Vice President before becoming the Association’s second President in 1907, a fitting legacy to honor at the organization’s 120th gathering.

Manufacturer of the Year: Joseph Machine

This year’s Manufacturer of the Year award went to Joseph Machine, a family-owned operation based in Dillsburg, York County, that has been quietly building one of the more impressive growth stories in the region.

Founded in 1986, the company designs and builds specialized machines and automation systems for the window and door industry. Over the past 15 years, Joseph Machine has averaged 20% growth annually, a pace that has required the company to continually scale its operations. A recent $13 million investment is currently expanding the facility by 150,000 square feet, and the company plans to grow its workforce from its current 119 employees to 150 following the full build-out, having already added 39 workers in the past two years.

What also stands out is the company’s commitment to sourcing locally. Joseph Machine purchases 60% of its materials from more than 150 Pennsylvania-based suppliers, a ripple effect that extends its economic impact well beyond its own walls.

Innovation, Partnership, and Community Investment

Three additional awards recognized businesses and organizations making an impact in distinct ways.

JLS Automation took home the Manufacturing Innovator award for its work deploying advanced automation systems in the food packaging industry. In 2025, the company invested 8% of its revenue in research and development, resulting in five new products and two new processes, including a patent-pending robotic cartoning system and AI-powered inspection and sorting tools aimed at improving food quality grading. The company recently earned a Best in Class award at the Global Trade Show International Baking Industry.

York County School of Technology was named Partner of the Year, a recognition rooted in a relationship that stretches back more than 50 years. The Manufacturers’ Association was involved in helping open the school in the 1960s, and the two organizations have remained closely linked ever since, most recently collaborating to upskill the region’s manufacturing workforce and connect graduates with hiring opportunities at member companies.

Sahd Metal Recycling, a third-generation family business founded in Lancaster County in 1941, received the Community Investor award. Beyond its role as a regional leader in metal recycling, the company has built a notable presence in the broader industry conversation through its podcast, Dumpster Talks, which has produced more than 100 episodes and accumulated thousands of listeners spotlighting the businesses, people, and ideas moving manufacturing forward. The Sahd team is also actively involved in supporting local nonprofits, schools, and community organizations.

Scholarship

The evening also included the presentation of the Carl Winters Junior Pre-Apprentice Scholarship, a memorial award given in honor of the Association’s legacy of workforce development. This year’s recipient was Nicholas Opstbaum of Chester County Technical College High School, who is pursuing an Electro Mechanical degree at Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology.

Looking Ahead

Taken together, the honorees paint a picture of a manufacturing community that is simultaneously rooted in history and leaning into the future, investing in facilities, technology, workforce, and community at a moment when American manufacturing is once again at the center of the national conversation.

The awards presentation was made possible through the support of several underwriters: the Women in Manufacturing Central PA Chapter (Partner of the Year), Eckert Seamans Attorneys at Law (Community Investor), Ledge, Inc. (Manufacturing Innovator), Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology (Manufacturer of the Year), and the Chesapeake Region Safety Council (Manufacturing Trailblazer).