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Shine Wire is located in the Adams Corporate Park. It manufactures electronic assemblies for industrial and military uses.

Shine Wire Named One of State's Manufacturers of the Year

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Greg Shine of Shine Wire Products, second from right, at the 3rd annual Manufacturing Awards Ceremony at the State House.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Legislature's Manufacturing Caucus recently named Shine Wire a Massachusetts Manufacturer of the Year. 
 
Company President Greg Shine said Shine Wire was one of 50 companies in the state to receive the award last month at the State House. 
 
The electronic contract manufacturer specializes in cable assemblies, wire harnessing, and electro-mechanical assemblies for use in testing, engineering, medical, aeronautics, military and Homeland Security.
 
"It is a humbling award," Shine said. "It was based on what we have done over the years here in Berkshire County and how we have supported manufacturing, how we have employed people, and have given back to the community."
 
This was the third award ceremony to be held and state Rep. John Barrett III nominated Shine Wire. 
 
House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Karen Spilka, and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash spoke at the event. The 4-year-old Manufacturing Caucus includes more than 60 legislators with the goal of increasing competitiveness in manufacturing by providing legislative support. The caucus is also focused on expanding opportunities in vocational high schools and community colleges.
 
Shine said he accepted the award on behalf of current employees and past employees whom the business' solid foundation was built on.
 
"I think it speaks volumes of the folks that started with the company in 1984 that took a risk and even changed career paths," he said. "They came into a business that really only had a phone and paper clip and they believed in it and some of those folks are still with us today, so it is really dedicated to the folks of the past and also our current staff."
 
Shine said his father founded the company in 1984 after Sprague Electric closed to give people the opportunity to keep working in the area.
 
"The foundation of the business was founded basically on love and that is a counterculture word to use in business today but when Sprague Electric closed in 1984, my dad … wanted to start a business in the area to keep people working," he said. "The business was built on giving people the opportunity to work and I think our focus on service leadership and putting people first has given us a real strong foundation to whether all of the storms over the last 35 years."
 
Shine said the business has changed over the years. It moved from North Adams to a 30,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in the Adams Corporate Park. He said over the years they have continued to invest in new equipment and employees.
 
Shine said the future of Shine Wire is bright with a strong team in place to carry the company another 35 years.
 
"We hope to continue to grow in a controlled manner in which we currently do now and there is a lot of opportunities here for current employees as well as those who want to join the company," he said. "The future is really up those who will one day take over the company whether that be family members or those who are already with us."

Tags: business award,   industry & manufacturing,   recognition event,   

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North Adams Unveils Hometown Heroes Banners

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

Carol Ethier-Kipp holds up the first aid kit her father used as an Army medic in World War II. See more photos here. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City of North Adams honored its own on Friday afternoon, unveiling 50 downtown street banners representing local veterans who served — and continue to serve — the community and the country.
 
More than 300 residents packed the front lawn of City Hall as the community took a moment to reflect on its "Hometown Heroes" during the morning unveiling ceremony.
 
"In a city like North Adams, service is personal. The men and women we honor today are not strangers to us. They are our neighbors, our classmates, our parents, our grandparents," Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the crowd. "... These banners are far more than names and pictures hanging along our streets. They are visible reminders of the values that define North Adams: courage, sacrifice, humility, duty, resilience, and the love of country. They remind every person who passes by that this community remembers our veterans."
 
The banner program launched exactly a year ago. Veterans Services Agent Kurtis Durocher opened applications in October and spent the next six months working with families to bring the project to Main Street and over the Hadley Overpass. 
 
"We gather to recognize the brave men and women from our community who have served or who are currently serving in the United States armed forces," Durocher said. "These banners are more than images. They bear a tribute to service, sacrifice, courage, and pride, and they remind us that the freedoms we enjoy every day have been protected by our neighbors, family members, friends, and Hometown Heroes."
 
Each banner features a portrait of a veteran alongside their military branch and dates of service.
 
Durocher noted that the program was something residents clearly wanted, pointing to how fast applications flooded his desk. He praised the volunteers who stepped up to get the banners made and displayed — including city firefighters and Mitchell Meranti of Wire & Alarm Department, who were installing them as late as Thursday night.
 
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