Florida Rock

Industries in Tyrone and Matsushita Communication Industrial Corporation

of U.S.A., Panasonic, won the coveted 2001 Spirit of Industry Awards last

week.

The Existing

Industry Committee of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce announced

the awards during its annual Spirit of Industry banquet.

There are two

categories: companies with fewer than 50 employees and those with more

than 50. The companies must submit applications and a panel of judges

determines a winner based on the industry's economic impact, its citizenship

and work force excellence.

In the under-50

division, Florida Rock was chosen for the third time.

The company

has been in the crushed stone business in Fayette County for 53 years

and employs 25 people.

It participates

in United Way drives, gives tours of the rock quarry to school children,

donates to local sports programs as well as placing ads in local civic

events.

With annual

revenues of nearly $7 million, the firm has a capital investment of $4.6

million.

The company

offers 100 percent reimbursement for formal educational courses related

to the industry and employee scholarships for children of employees.

Florida Rock

has received a number of awards and recognition for having 778,817 hours

without a lost time accident, a feat covering the last 14 years.

Winner in the

over-50 category, Panasonic has been in Fayette County for 14 years and

has 922 employees. It began with 11 employees in 1987. It has a current

investment of $60 million, adding a 50,000-sq. ft. expansion this year

for a new warehouse and distribution center. It enjoyed a business growth

last year of 15 percent.

The firm conducts

a health fair for employees, a scholarship program for children of employees,

on-site training for continuing education and training for current employees,

and under the "environmental" category, has reduced its landfill

deposits by 75 percent.

Panasonic participates

in the county's Partnership in Education program, sponsored a golf tournament

for the Boy Scouts of America, supports the Peachtree Wind Ensemble, the

Joseph Sams School, the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, the local March

of Dimes and participates in the Angel Tree program, among others.

It manufactures

a user-friendly key telephone system that delivers sophisticated, compatible

telecommunications technology, as well as automotive products such as

AM/FM cassette units, DVD systems with surround sound, high-grade amplifiers

and compact disc equipment.

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