OUR HISTORY
The Nature Coast Manufacturers’ Association was started in November, 2017 by a group of Hernando County Manufacturers that wanted to join together and improve the manufacturing industry in the region. They named the organization the Hernando County Manufacturers’ Association (HCMA). They began to hold meetings for the purpose of setting goals and working together to become better informed about the newest manufacturing technologies, the latest in workforce development, best practices, government regulations, grants, cost saving ideas and other opportunities to improve manufacturing.
The organization decided to partner with several other organizations including; FloridaMakes, GrowFL, Career Source Pasco Hernando, AMSkills, Pasco Hernando State College, Hernando County Government, Hernando County School District and others.
EXPANSION AND PROGRESS
After a year and a half of rapid growth, it became clear to our Board of Directors that we should serve more than just Hernando County. We believed that we could better serve our Tri-County Region of Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties by expanding our manufacturing and partnership members into Citrus and Pasco Counties, as well as, Hernando County. We filed a Doing Business As (DBA) “Nature Coast Manufactures’ Association” (NCMA) and changed our by-laws to include Board Members from Pasco and Citrus Counties.
OUR MISSION
Our Mission is to expand and improve the competitiveness of Nature Coast Manufacturers throughout the world. Our Vision is to see manufacturing grow in revenue, increased profitability and the expansion of the manufacturing industry sector throughout our Nature Coast Region. Our Strategy is to accomplish our goals through Advocacy for manufacturing, providing tangible Value to members, Collaboration with trusted partners and Sustainability by following good corporate governance policies:
Advocacy – we believe there is strength in numbers. We work with local, state and national government officials to represent the interests of the manufacturing industry.
Value – we provide many cost-saving and revenue growth opportunities to our member manufacturers.
Collaboration – we work with our partners to improve the skills of our workforce, grow manufacturing revenues, assess and minimize risks, reduce manufacturing costs and promote the interest of our manufacturers. We believe in Inclusion as the achievement of a work environment in which ALL individuals are treated fairly and respectfully and have equal access and resources and can contribute fully to the organization’s success.
Sustainability – our association and manufacturers realize substantial financial and environmental benefits from sustainable business practices that follow best financial policies, minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. We believe sustainable business policies also enhance employee, community and product safety.
OUR WELCOME
We welcome manufacturers and those that serve manufacturers as Members. However, our Membership and Board of Directors will maintain a minimum of 55% Manufacturers and maximum of 45% Associate Members (non-manufacturers). We do this to keep the focus on manufacturing.
We define Manufacturing as the making of goods by hand or by machine that upon completion the business sells to a customer retail or wholesale. Items used in manufacturing may be raw materials or component parts of a larger product. The manufacturing may be on a large or small scale production line of machinery and skilled labor is generally utilized.