The Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) has named first-time and repeat winners of its Most Valuable Partner (MVP) status and is evaluating as many as 15 others.

Less than 5% of the association's members hold the award for fulfilling criteria in industry relations, customer relations, peer-to-peer networking, education for employees and business best practices.

"We have seven first-time award winners out of the 21 2014 MVPs," says Kathy Cotter, membership co-ordinator for MHEDA in Vernon Hills. "Plus, I have another 15 companies who have applied for the 2014 award. We are in the process of compiling their documentation."

The first-time MVP winners are:

* CE-DFW Warehouse Solutions, Grapevine, Texas

* Fairchild Equipment Inc of Green Bay, Wisconsin

* Fallsway Equipment Co of Akron, Ohio

* FloStor Engineering Inc of Hayward, California

* Liftech Equipment Companies Inc of East Syracuse, New York

* Nebraska Machinery Co of Omaha, Nebraska doing business as NMC Material Handling

* Southern Acquisitions LLC of Farmers Branch, Texas

MHEDA launched the MVP program in May 2011. MHEDA does not charge a fee for the process but requires an applicant provide letters of recommendations from customers, an indication of willingness to invest in employees' training and evidence of best business practices and good supplier relationships. The program is available only to MHEDA distributor members.

Ten members are receiving third-year recognition including the Brookfield, Wisconsin-based Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp unit of Wolter Group. "We're very proud to have been awarded our third consecutive MVP award," says Jerry Weidmann, president of Wisconsin Lift and also president of MHEDA.

Other third-time winners are: AHS Inc of Cincinnati, Ohio; A&K Equipment Co Inc doing business as AK Material Handling Systems of Maple Grove, Minnesota; American Warehouse Systems LLC of Blaine, Minnesota; Bode Equipment Co of Londonderry, New Hampshire; Cardinal Carryor Companies of Louisville, Kentucky; Morrison Industrial Equipment Co of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Riekes Equipment Co of Omaha, Nebraska; and Sunbelt Industrial Trucks of Dallas, Texas.

FMH Material Handling Solutions Inc. of Denver, Colorado was among the designees for the second consecutive year. "It is such a high honour to be awarded the MHEDA MVP award two years in a row," says John Faulkner, FMH president.

Other second-year recipients are Conveyor Solutions Inc of Schaumburg, Illinois; Eastern Lift Truck Co Inc of Maple Shade, New Jersey; and RH Brown Co of Seattle, Washington.

MHEDA represents about 650 companies in the materials handling equipment business.