The 2026 Colorado Manufacturing Network Awards
Join the Colorado Manufacturing Network as we come together from across all four corners of the state to honor the trailblazers of Colorado’s manufacturing industry! This awards program celebrates excellence across various categories, recognizing the exceptional individuals and companies who are setting new standards in workforce development, Industry 4.0 innovation, leadership, and the advancement of women in manufacturing.
Celebrating Our 2026 Winners
Manufacturing Workforce Innovator of the Year Award
The Manufacturing Workforce Innovator of the Year can be a company or an individual who demonstrates a commitment to workforce development.
2026 Winner: CoorsTek
CoorsTek doesn’t just invest in its own workforce. It opens its doors to the entire industry. From co-launching free public machining bootcamps, to building a youth apprenticeship program, to opening their Academy training facility to incumbent workers across the sector, CoorsTek has created a model for workforce development that benefits every manufacturer in Colorado.
Manufacturing Generational Excellence Award
The Manufacturing Generational Excellence Award will be given to a company that has been operational and successful for multiple decades and has become a pillar of their community.
2026 Winner: Merrit Trailers
Founded in 1951 by Everett and Guinevere Merritt, this company is now in its third generation of family leadership and with each generation, the legacy has not just been preserved, it has been strengthened. Under CEO Taylor Merritt, the company has modernized its operations and formalized its growth strategy, all while holding fast to the values of integrity, craftsmanship, and community that have defined Merritt for over 70 years.
Manufacturing Woman of the Year Award (Colorado Chapter of Women in Manufacturing)
The Manufacturing Woman of the Year Award, developed and awarded by the Colorado Chapter of Women in Manufacturing, recognizes a woman who has made exceptional contributions throughout her career in the manufacturing industry.
2026 Winner: Debra James, Metalex Thermal Specialities
Debra James leads one of the most technically specialized and historically male-dominated segments of manufacturing and she does it with decades of expertise, quiet confidence, and lasting impact. When people learn that Debra is the owner of a thermal processing facility, that moment of surprise often becomes a moment of inspiration. She doesn’t just advocate for women in manufacturing. She lives it every single day.
Manufacturing Champion Award
The Manufacturing Champion award recognizes an individual who is leading the industry forward. The recipient of this award will have made significant contributions to the manufacturing sector through their strategic thinking and implementation of industry-wide plans, programs, or policies that help grow, support, and advocate for manufacturing.
2026 Winner: Warehouse Business Accelerator Executive Director Allison Seabeck
The Warehouse Business Accelerator has built something rare: a place where manufacturing entrepreneurs get the space, the mentorship, the peer community, and the accountability they need to build lasting businesses. Every company that graduates creates jobs, invests in equipment, and eventually moves into their own facility and the ripple effect across Colorado’s economy is exactly what a manufacturing champion looks like.
Emerging Manufacturer Award
The Emerging Manufacturing Award is presented to an individual or company that demonstrates innovation with new products, services, or business models.
2026 Winner: Pretred
Pretred took a problem the industry had largely written off, end-of-life tire waste, and turned it into the first roadway-certified rubber barrier system to rival traditional concrete. Their closed-loop manufacturing process uses 100% of every tire, their product carries a carbon footprint up to 283% lower than concrete, and their 150,000-square-foot facility has the capacity to divert over 100 million pounds of waste annually. They didn’t just build a product. They built a new category.
Global Business Excellence Award (WTC Denver)
The Global Business Excellence Award is presented by the World Trade Center Denver and celebrates exceptional businesses that excel in international markets through innovative strategies, operational excellence, and sustainable practices.
2026 Winner: Click Medical
Click Medical serves customers in more than 40 countries and in every market they enter, they bring more than a product. They bring training, support, and a genuine commitment to improving amputees’ quality of life. Their approach combines innovation with empathy, navigating complex global healthcare systems with cultural sensitivity and a mission-driven focus that sets a new standard for what global manufacturing can look like.
Manufacturer Community Outreach Award
This award recognizes a manufacturing facility in Colorado demonstrating excellence in community outreach. It celebrates effective, innovative expansion programs or initiatives that have been established or are active for at least two years.
2026 Winner: Vergent Products
What makes Vergent Products exceptional is that community leadership isn’t a program or a department. It’s how the entire organization operates. Every member of their leadership team is embedded in regional and statewide initiatives, dedicating significant hours each month to connect manufacturers, educators, workforce partners, and civic leaders across Northern Colorado.