BUSINESS: INDUSTRY APPRECIATION DINNER TO BE WEDNESDAY

This is Industrial Appreciation Week in Cape Girardeau, and the highlight event -- the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Industrial Appreciation Dinner -- will be held Wednesday at the Show Me Center.

More than 750 people are expected for the 12th annual event which kicks off with a social hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. The annual Commitment of Excellence award for the Industry of the Year will be presented.

Procter & Gamble was last year's winner. P&G, which has completed a $35 million expansion project, was a repeat winner -- industries can repeat after five years. Procter & Gamble now employs more than 1,650 workers.

Wednesday's banquet program will include a review of past winners.

They are:

* 1988: General Sign Co., a custom sign maker, located in Nash Road Industrial Park.

* 1989: Lone Star Industries, produces more than 1,100,000 tons of cement annually.

* 1990: Procter & Gamble, produces paper products.

* 1991: Biokyowa, has now completed one new expansion of its L-lysine plant and is finishing up an expansion to add a new product.

* 1992: Concord Publishing House Inc., operates daily and weekly newspapers and printing operations.

* 1993: Dana Corp., began production in Cape Girardeau in 1990 with 20 employees. Dana currently has about 400 employees.

* 1994: Florsheim Shoe Co., has closed operations here.

* 1995: Spartech Corp., has more than 35 production facilities in North America and Europe, including two operations in Cape Girardeau.

* 1996: Thorngate Ltd., produces approximately 6,000 men's suits and sport coats per week at Cape Girardeau.

* 1997: M&W Packaging, began production in the spring of 1990. New name is Nordenia U.S.A.

* 1998: Lone Star Industries.

* 1999: Procter & Gamble.