Protection for products and people
Founded in 1984 with a small staff, NIC INDUSTRIES INC has grown to be one of the largest privately owned and operated companies in the area and whose products are sold in 90+ countries. They are a world class corporation, the 17th largest paint and coating manufacturer in the country, and the largest shipper in Southern Oregon (other than Harry & David at Christmas time). The campus sits on 18 acres, and their facilities consist of nearly 100,000 square feet of operative space. The company is comprised of three divisions. The first is Cerakote®, a liquid thin-film ceramic coating. Next is Prismatic Powders®, which provides powder coating. Third is Cerakote Ceramic Coatings®, which manufactures auto and home products for retailers and professionals alike.
When David Meador, Director of Strategic Engagement, came on board in 2018 he was employee #84. Today, the company employs over 200 individuals who serve in management, sales, marketing, production, packaging, shipping, as well as individuals in engineering and chemistry roles.
While they are a successful and growing enterprise, Meador spoke to the company’s philosophy. “It’s about the people, the company culture, and our humanity,” he emphasized. “We are Southern Oregon born and raised,” they like to say, and they remain committed to their roots. CEO Brian Hall briefly joined us and explained NIC’s three-tiered philosophy of Spend, Save, and Share. Those three precepts seek to enhance NIC’s economic impact by investing in the community, its employees, and the company’s future goals. NIC always has an eye to the future, yet they maintain equal focus on today—producing quality products, taking care of their employees, and giving back to the community.
NIC has wisely created and embraced a culture of caring for its staff at every level. Employment at the company is viewed as a career, not just a job; employment longevity and low turnover bear that out. The entire facility is spotless and inviting—from the office area to the manufacturing, shipping, and research areas. In the management section, Hall has positioned his office in the middle of all the other glass-walled offices, allowing him to be approachable and accountable to all the employees he is surrounded by. As David and I toured the facility, I noted that he spoke by name to every individual we encountered, knowing what each is responsible for and offering a comment or word of encouragement. On occasion, there was a short conversation about a process or product, or even on a personal note.
The company’s values-based culture goes beyond its walls to encompass outreach to education systems and students. They have established relationships with career coaches in regional high schools, and through those relationships lead tours that allow students to gain exposure to potential career opportunities. Keeping young people local through employment helps fuel our local economy.
NIC’s products serve customers who range from professionals to the average home or car owner. Business owners are impressed with the product, and many take advantage of NIC’s Training Department for men and women from across the world, where they learn proper product application. In one training room, we saw an instructor offer oral instruction to his class. In another room, we stopped to watch as a man practiced spraying product, the instructor helping him hone his technique. These individuals have often come from another state to learn skills that in turn allow them to offer high quality service to their customers. With NIC’s Home and Auto line, automotive care kits such as headlight restoration product are available to the average user in local stores’ automotive sections.
NIC recognizes and values the impact that local companies make to their communities. This ethic contributed to the decision to reach out to Noble Coffee Roasting with the intention of serving Noble’s coffee in NIC offices. In turn, this led to an exchange agreement between NIC and Noble—trading services for the benefit of both companies. NIC provided a custom Cerakote® coating-job on Noble’s main espresso machine, a La Marzocco Strada X, considered the most technologically-advanced espresso machine in the world. La Marzocco was so impressed by the quality and attention to detail that they created their own partnership with NIC to customize La Marzocco machines for potential worldwide distribution. NIC and Noble Coffee Roasting are proud of this partnership and the possibilities it opens up.
Our tour was a “wow” experience for me, impressive on every level—from the fascination of 3D printing to assembly lines of bottles being filled with product, then capped and labeled before being boxed and readied for shipment. Some of the processes are handled by people, a few by robots. We walked through the Research and Development lab, where individuals have the tools and equipment at their disposal to experiment and create. We watched Cerakote® color swatches being laser-printed with the color name, a number, and other pertinent information. The entire process happened faster than I could have written it in shorthand! Like swatches available at a paint store, these are sent to businesses so owners and customers may choose their colors.
Housed separately from the rest of the facility, NIC’s Polymer Plant is the only of its kind in the world. Its primary purpose is manufacturing the material “backbone” that forms many of their products through a mixture process developed by in-house chemists and engineers. Prior to the Plant’s construction, those raw materials were procured from overseas suppliers, often with less than desirable quality standards. “In a committed attempt for our own self-sufficiency, NIC constructed the Polymer Plant. It now manufactures top-quality materials used by the company for our products, but is also marketable to a wide variety of customers who have similar needs for those raw materials,” says David.
NIC cares for the environment, both for the planet and for its employees. Much of its manufacturing byproduct is turned into agricultural fertilizer, leveraging the potential to benefit the local economy and farming efficiency. Employee environment is also tended to, as they enjoy the perk of individual office temperature control. Both contributions may seem small, but they have positive impact.
We returned to the lobby, a space of neutral tones with a backdrop wall display of approximately 1,700 color swatches. As we ended our time, David thanked me for coming and reiterated the company’s commitment to the region. “NIC is a great place to work,” he said. “And Southern Oregon is a great place to live.” While they serve a worldwide customer base, they remain a local company invested in and committed to that community.
To learn more visit: http://www.nicindustries.com
Story by Lynn Leissler
Photography by Dale Robinette
