Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1166208
2 6 Sponsored Manufacturer Profile S T U F F M A D E I N M A I N E \ F A L L 2 0 1 9 www.nicholsportland.com.com 2400 Congress St., Portland, ME 04102 P: 207.774.6121 FOUNDED: 1904 PRESIDENT/CEO: Thomas Houck FULL-TIME/ FTE EMPLOYEES: 400 HEADQUARTERS: Portland ME ADDITIONAL COMPANY LOCATIONS: Wallace Street South Portland ME Nichols Portland has been doing business in Maine for more than 50 years. From the opening of our facility in Portland in 1968 to the development of powder metal process in the 1970's, Nichols has a strong pioneering spirit that has grown year after year and continues today. Nichols is now not only the leading supplier of precision P/M components to the automotive industry but is also the premier choice for innovative solutions to the most challenging niche pump applications. Today, Nichols Portland has two facilities, located in Portland and South Portland, with a total of 220,000-square-feet to house our global design and manufacturing centers, producing 24 million gears and 100,000 pumps a year. n Randy Lessard C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E Nichols Portland LLC SCHOOL: Maine Maritime Academy YEARS AT COMPANY: 28 POSITION: VP/General Manager, Pumps Division " Given Nichols Portland's long history and leading position in the powdered metal industry and our continued efforts on our niche pump division will help bolster applications in our existing customer base, and are excited to offer a more holistic solution to our customers. We see this as a compelling opportunity to bring this exciting solution to our customer base to further differentiate our company. Nichols Portland utilization of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and vision systems illustrates our vision for the future. Nichols Portland is a great example of bringing additional capabilities to the market, and to be a solution provider / problem solver for our customers. " — Thomas K. Houck, President and CEO of Nichols Portland PRO D U CTS Niche mechanical and electrical pumps, pump elements and structural component solutions from both our powdered metal and billet processes. With the pressure of a shrinking manufacturing workforce and the need to be globally cost-competitive Nichols Portland is actively investing in and developing products and processes of the future. Our key initiatives include additive metal & polymer manufacturing which allows us to leverage our extensive knowledge of conventional powder metallurgy and automation where we are using AI, vision inspection systems, and advanced sensors in the manufacture and test of our products. It's an exciting time at Nichols Portland with more than 20 active projects underway in an environment that requires broad cross-functional input across numerous engineering disciplines. M A R K E T S / C U S TO M E R S Nichols Portland's component and smart pumps are manufactured for a wide range of applications across several platforms within the automotive, on-off highway and other industrial markets. CA R E E R / J O B O P P O RT U N I T I E S Since 1968, Nichols Portland has built a reputation for delivering quality products on time, on spec, and on budget. The credit goes to our most important asset, our people. We employ experts in engineering, design, machining, assembly and many other skill sets. CO M PA N Y B E N E F I T S Nichols Portland offers a competitive benefit package with a variety of available options including medical, dental, vision, HAS, dependent care, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability coverage, profit sharing, 401(k) and tuition reimbursement. Our Vision is to become the premiere provider of both mechanical and SMART electric pumps for the North American and European on- and off-highway markets.