Chamber & City Spotlight Successful Local Businesses

The City of Santa Maria and the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce continued their featured business partnership in February, recognizing two additional local businesses during a City Council meeting on February 15.

This program recognizes businesses who have been in the community for a significant amount of time, employ large numbers of local residents, and/or provide unique and significant contributions to the quality of life in the community. For 2022, the partnership is focusing on manufacturing and women owned businesses, selecting one business in each category to be highlighted each month. Featured businesses receive a certificate from the City Council and are highlighted by the City and Chamber in various publications and media outreach efforts.

Businesses featured in February were:

Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Company Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench provides worldleading, innovative industrial ideas and sustainable turbomachinery solutions for renewable energy production, liquefied natural gas, chemical and petrochemicalprocesses and hydrogen processes. The company was formed in 1975 and arrived in Santa Maria in 1981 with 50 employees and now employs 216 employees.

Atlas Copco buys many products and services locally and estimates they contribute >$10 million annually to the Santa Maria economy. The majority of their customers are international who visit Santa Maria for factory testing of the equipment. They are currently pursuing GREEN business certification from the California

Green Business Network. Employees teach at Allan Hancock and Cal Poly and the business supports local high school tours and programs to encourage young people seeking a career in manufacturing. They offer up to 8 internships per year and have a paid relocation program for employees to encourage them to move to Santa Maria.

Neuroboxing started in 2017 with 2 fighters and 3 classes a week in a small space in Santa Maria. Over the years, through outreach, speaking engagements and working with local doctors, the program has grown to 25-30 fighters and 6 classes a week, in a beautiful gym space located at Marian Hospital's Health and Wellness Center. In 2019, Neuroboxing transitioned to become a non-profit, enabling them to provide more community events and opportunities to those living with neurological conditions.

With Covid, Neuroboxing had to make several adjustments. Classes were fully moved online in March of 2020, and continued that way for about 3 months, when we were safely able to re-open with the use of physical distancing, PPE, extra cleaning protocols and temperature monitoring.

Neuroboxing’s founder, April Sargeant, is also the President of the Central Coast Parkinson's Association which works with the local community and doctors in the area to provide service and education to the entire Central Coast. April is a Certified Personal Training who also holds certifications in Neuroboxing, Rock Steady Boxing, Box N' Burn levels 1, 2 & 3, Senior Fitness, PWR! Moves and Urban Pole Walking.