Edmonds Dental wins Manufacturer of the Year

“I about fell out of my chair,” Bauer, the lab’s general manager, told founder and president Edmonds.

Edmonds, who founded the lab in Springfield in the early 1960s, shared Bauer’s elation and surprise.

“Well, it’s definitely the highlight in my career,” Edmonds said. “It’s got to be the pinnacle.”

Edmonds Dental beat seven nominees and two other finalists for the 11th annual award.

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Co. and Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems were the other finalists at the Dec. 14. luncheon at University Plaza Hotel.

A panel of seven judges composed of past Manufacturer of the Year honorees evaluated the finalists on business stability and growth, employee development, product development and sustainability, environmental and health performance, safety and community involvement.

“It’s incredible they can do the things they do,” said judge Ronnie Walker, director of quality for Northrop Grumman Interconnect Technologies. Walker and the six other judges visited each of the finalists to evaluate their operations first-hand.

“It’s a tremendous skill level those employees have,” Walker said.

Edmonds Dental, which also operates labs in West Plains and Jefferson City, makes dental devices such as dentures, orthodontic appliances, crowns and implants.

Edmonds said his labs have $8 million in annual sales, which places them in the top 3 percent of the nation’s 12,000 dental labs.

The Springfield lab, 2065 W. Woodland, is in the midst of a 5,000-square-foot expansion. Edmonds said the expansion would require the company to add another 25 people to its staff of 117.

Edmonds said he takes pride in his employees’ happiness, paying them an average salary of $18 per hour.

The company boasts an 85 percent employee retention rate, with 13 percent of the staff having been with the company for more than 20 years.

He also said the company invests greatly in employee training, spending $12,000 for six months of education for some employees.

“We’ve tried to build a work environment that allows people to look at it as a career and not just a job,” Edmonds said.