Retired president of Bamberg company honored for lifetime achievement in manufacturing

The retired president of Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing Co. in Bamberg was presented the Chuck Spangler Outstanding Manufacturing Lifetime Service Award today during the annual SCMEP Salute to Manufacturing Awards. Robert Hurst was president of the company from the late 1970s until his retirement in 2017.

The ceremony each year closes out the South Carolina Manufacturing Conference and Expo, presented by SC Biz News and held this year at the Greenville Convention Center. The awards are presented by South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Hurst and his two brothers-in-law grew the business from one with annual sales of less than $3 million in the early days to more than $20 million at this retirement. Phoenix Specialty is a manufacturer of small specialty and precision components.

During his time leading the company, Hurst invested heavily in the business, his employees, the community and the industry, SC Biz News Executive Director Jason Thomas said when presenting the award.

Throughout the years, Hurst made significant investments into grade schools and technical schools and served on many boards including: the SCMEP Board of Directors, SouthernCarolina Regional Development Allance Board of Directors, Bamberg County Economic Development Board of Directors, Bamberg County Hospital Board, and the PMA National Board of Directors. He also served as Precision Metalform Association Carolina’s District treasurer and later president during the 1990s.

Hurst was chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership Board of Directors during the transition in SCMEP leadership when Chuck Spangler was promoted to president. Hurst said one of his best accomplishments was his role in appointing Spangler to lead the organization.

Spangler led SCMEP with widely praised gusto and a deft touch until his untimely death in 2021.

Other awards included:

• Innovator of the Year Award, presented to Viatec of Piedmont. Finalists in the category were Green Energy Biofuel and Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America.
• Emerging Manufacturer of the Year Award went to Xplor Boatworks of Columbia. Finalists were Print & Pine of Ridgeland and STIWA US of Fort Mill.
• AFL of Duncan, a manufacturer of fiber optic cable and related products, was winner of the Outreach Award. Finalists in the category were Savannah River Nuclear Solutions and Green Energy Biofuel.
• Transformation and Operation Excellence Awards were presented to TICO Manufacturing and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions.
• Smart Move SC awards for new plants went to Redwood Materials Inc., Pomega Energy Storage Technologies Inc., MycoWorks Inc., BMW Manufacturing Co. LLC, The Ritedose Corp., and Canfor Southern Pine.