Adapt or die, the saying goes. And had it not been for its ability to embrace changes in the marketplace, American Trim would be a mere footnote to history rather than a cutting-edge 60-year-old manufacturing company.
American Trim began its life as Lima Tool and Die, a family-owned company that produced appliance handles for kitchen ranges. Today, the company is a leading supplier not only for the appliance trade, but also the heavy truck industry. An eagerness to stay on top of the latest technologies has made American Trim a pioneer in the areas of electromagnetic forming, digital printing and advanced surface modification.
Currently under development is a process called physical vapor deposition. This technology is used to deposit thin film coatings onto ferrous and non-ferrous substrates. In layman's terms, it creates a "near-chrome" finish that can be used to simulate stainless steel on refrigerators, ovens, washers and dryers. In the not-too-distant future, consumers can look forward to improved durability and beauty on a wide array of household appliances.
American Trim hopes to build a new production facility that will create 60 new jobs, replacing many lost to off-shoring. This facility is expected to generate annual revenues in the $12- to $14-million range.
American Trim's adaptability has landed the company more than $10 million in grant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Wright Projects program, which provides grants to support specifically defined near-term commercialization projects. In collaboration with Lima's Rhodes State College, the company recently unveiled the Materials Deposition Center at its Lima facilities.
Source: American Trim, http://www.amtrim.com/news.asp
Writer: Douglas Trattner