Albany-Dougherty EDC moves forward with #MadeInAlbanyGA campaign
Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission promotes Albany-made products
By Jennifer Parks
ALBANY — The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission is helping to provide exposure to its recently launched #MadeInAlbanyGA campaign by traveling to various manufacturing sites in Albany and getting a glimpse into the products made in the Good Life City while also getting a sense for those products’ worldwide presence.
The campaign was launched in September and is designed to increase community awareness on the operations of existing industries and the products made by people in Albany and Dougherty County that are used all over the world, EDC officials said.
In a way, the campaign allows the EDC and the area’s industries to help each other.
“Sometimes those in Albany do not know what is made here,” said EDC President Justin Strickland at an EDC meeting Wednesday.
The campaign, which features a different existing industry each month for the next year, is an expansion of the award-winning video of the same title, produced by the EDC in 2014. The 2016 campaign includes videos, social media and print components.
The campaign will unfold through September 2017, highlighting the personal story of a company representative and the products their company makes. The EDC holds its monthly meetings now at the business being highlighted.
This month’s featured business was Mars Chocolate North America, which has a presence on West Oakridge Drive and has been in Albany since 1964.
A historical overview on Mars said that, in 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Wash., kitchen. Now based in McLean, Va., Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion and six business segments, including pet care, chocolate, Wrigley, food, drinks and symbioscience.
The Albany plant alone produces goodnessknows snacks — the company’s newest product — and serves as the the only producer of Combos, while also roasting 30,000 metric tons of peanuts needed to produce Snickers bars.
Joe Wrona, the site director for Albany’s Mars plant, said little discussion between Strickland and plant officials was needed when the idea was floated to bring the EDC to Mars.
“We want to support the community, and we are proud to be in the city of Albany,” he said. “Any exposure from that end that helps them also helps us.”
Following the business meeting, which included an overview of the EDC’s drafted audit, a tour was held of the Mars plant.
The #MadeInAlbanyGA campaign began by featuring Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, whose Albany plant is the world’s sole manufacturer of ThermaCare Heat Wraps. The wraps have been produced exclusively in Albany since 2000 and have been part of the Pfizer brand since 2009.
Next month, the spotlight will be on Sunnyland Farms.
Campaign videos and other materials can be seen on the EDC’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and at choosealbany.com.
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