Pace Industries Relocates Global Headquarters to Novi, MI.

June 23, 2021

NOVI, Mich. – (June 23, 2021) – Pace Industries, North America’s leading custom die-casting, engineering and manufacturing provider to the automotive, commercial vehicle, powersports, lighting, lawn and garden, appliance, aerospace, defense, medical, and other industries – has relocated its global headquarters from Fayetteville, AR., to Novi, MI. The move expands Pace Industries’ presence in the Detroit area. 

The new state-of-the-art headquarters is located at 28125 Cabot Drive, Suite 120, Novi, MI 48377. Pace Industries expects to initially employ 75 full-time employees with the intent to expand.

“Pace Industries has a rich history of supplying the transportation and industrial manufacturing industries and is poised for continued growth,” said Donald Hampton, Jr., CEO of Pace Industries. “Relocating to the Detroit area provides us with more access to our extensive customer and supply base and to the rich talent in the region. Our vision is to become the premier die casting manufacturing and engineering solutions supplier serving customers within multiple sectors worldwide.”

“The decision by Pace Industries, a leading national die casting manufacturer, to relocate its headquarters to Michigan underscores the strength of our business climate and creates more good-paying, high-skill jobs for our talented workforce,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This is great news for workers, their families and our economy as we continue our economic jumpstart and put Michigan back to work. With the help of companies like Pace, we can build back our state’s economy stronger than ever before.”

Pace Industries, which started as a small die-casting facility in Harrison, Arkansas in 1970, was acquired by TCW Group and Cerberus Capital Management, LP in June 2020. The company currently provides a variety of structural, cosmetic and machined products to several market leading transportation, recreational and consumer goods manufacturers.

As part of the move, a new Shared Services Center has been established in Fayetteville, while the executive, engineering, sales, marketing and other customer-facing teams are based in the new Detroit office.  

“As our company looks at what’s next, our ability to exceed the needs of key customers through various metals, and engineered solutions  make us a natural partner for leaders in those markets,” Hampton said.

For additional information, visit: www.paceind.com.

About Pace Industries, LLC

Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, Pace Industries is North America’s largest high-pressure aluminum, magnesium and zinc die casting company. Strategically located throughout North America, Pace operates a diverse manufacturing footprint with 17 manufacturing locations across the US and Mexico. Pace offers a wide array of services and capabilities to customers across numerous markets including: automotive, commercial vehicle, powersports, lighting, lawn and garden, appliance, aerospace, defense, medical, and other industries.  For more information about Pace Industries, please visit www.paceind.com.

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Pace Industries completed the divestiture of its Mangas Tool and Die operation in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Aarkel Tool & Die Inc (“Aarkel”)

January 26, 2021

DETROIT, Michigan – On January 8, 2021, Pace Industries, LLC (“Pace”) completed the divestiture of its Mangas Tool and Die operation in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Aarkel Tool & Die Inc (“Aarkel”).

Donald Hampton Jr., Pace CEO, commented “We strive to be world class, known as the premier high pressure die casting and engineering solutions supplier serving customers within multiple sectors worldwide. Our quest for Operational Excellence must include a focus on our core competencies of die casting and machining.  The divestiture of our Mangas operation is in line with our strategy and aligns our former associates with an industry leader in tool and die making.”

Aarkel, headquartered in Canada, is a global tool and die manufacturer with full-service tooling and engineering capabilities in Canada, Mexico, India, China, Europe and Brazil. Mangas expands Aarkel’s manufacturing footprint in the USA.

“We are very excited for the associates of Mangas. We have turned the operation over to a strategic buyer committed to investing and providing excellent opportunities for growth for the associates. Pace has had a relationship with Mangas spaning four decades. We will be leaving personal friendships and wish them all the very best” Hampton concluded. 

Aarkel and its new Mangas division will continue to be a strategic supplier of tooling to Pace Industries.

About Pace

Strategically located throughout North America, Pace operates a diverse manufacturing footprint with 12 die cast plants in the USA and Mexico, 1 tool and die shop, 2 finishing and painting facilities, 1 plastic injection molding plant and 1 machine and fixture building shop. Pace offers a wide array of services and capabilities to blue-chip  household name customers across numerous industries including passenger and commercial automotive and trucking, powersports, barbecue grills, recreational vehicles, lawn and garden, lighting, electrical, medical, telecommunications, defense, and aerospace.  Pace offers unmatched end-to-end value-added solutions, which include early supplier engineering support and design for manufacturability, machining and other finishing services including: shot blasting, impregnation, tumbling, chromating, wet painting, powder coating, polishing and assembly. For more information about Pace Industries, please visit paceind.com.

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Pace Industries Successfully Completes Financial Restructuring

June 2, 2020

Emerges from Chapter 11 Protection with Strengthened Balance Sheet and Well-Positioned for Success
Donald Hampton, Jr. Named CEO to Drive Company’s Go-Forward Growth Strategy

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Pace Industries, LLC (“the Company”) today announced that it has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, successfully completing its financial restructuring plan to deleverage the Company’s balance sheet and create a sustainable capital structure. This milestone marks the implementation of the Company’s Plan of Reorganization (“the Plan”), which was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on May 29, 2020. The Company completed its restructuring in approximately a month and a half and met all commitments to the Company’s stakeholders throughout the Chapter 11 process.


The Company emerges from Chapter 11 protection with a strengthened balance sheet and well-positioned to realize the full benefit of its previously initiated operational improvements as well as additional cost structure improvements. Through the Plan, the Company has converted its existing senior secured notes into 100% of the equity of the reorganized Company and looks forward to benefiting from the support and operational expertise of its two largest senior secured lenders, TCW Group and Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.
Effective immediately, Donald (Donnie) Hampton, Jr. has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer to lead the Company going forward.


“We begin this next chapter for Pace Industries as a financially stronger company, which will enable us to capture the full benefit of the cost-saving initiatives implemented prior to the COVID-19 outbreak as well as new market strategies,” said Donnie Hampton, Jr., incoming Chief Executive Officer. “I am excited to lead Pace Industries forward as we execute on our strategic growth opportunities and continue to harness our market-leading capabilities to deliver for our customers as a fully-integrated provider.”
Mr. Hampton joins Pace Industries with more than two decades of industry experience and global P&L leadership. He has leveraged Six Sigma, Kanban, JIT and synchronous manufacturing strategies for companies such as Honeywell International (previously Allied Signal), Hayes Lemmerz, Rea Magnet Wire Company and, most recently, Faurecia. In his roles he has consistently ignited revenue and profit growth, equity value creation and world-class standards of operational excellence. He is a member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, Automotive Industry Professionals Worldwide and OPEX – Global Operating Excellence Network.
Outgoing Chief Executive Officer Scott Bull will be supporting Mr. Hampton in an advisory capacity to ensure a smooth transition. The Board is grateful to Mr. Bull for his 41 years of service to the Company – including 12 years as Chief Executive Officer – and wishes him well in his future endeavors.
“Pace Industries has a bright future ahead of it, and I am confident handing the reins to Donnie, who I know will do an outstanding job leading the Company,” said Scott Bull. “He is committed to maintaining the same energy with which Pace Industries serves its customers and provides high-quality products to meet their unique needs. Donnie’s experience and leadership will help the Company execute on its strategy and position Pace Industries for success.”


Looking forward, the Company plans to pursue a new go-forward growth strategy, focused on building its position in key industries and expanding in growth markets. Pace Industries will continue to keep customers at the core of everything it does and, with a bolstered financial foundation, is poised to invest in the capabilities to meet their needs now and in the future. The Company will continue to maintain and build on its current standards for safety, quality and corporate citizenship moving forward.

“From the implementation of new programs and initiatives, through the COVID-19 outbreak and this Chapter 11 process, this Company would not have been able to reach today’s milestone without the dedication and support of our team members,” Mr. Hampton continued. “I look forward to meeting many of the Company’s employees and customers in the weeks and months to come and am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”
Filings and additional information on the Company’s emergence from bankruptcy can be found at http://www.kccllc.net/pace.
The Company was represented in this matter by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP. FTI Consulting served as financial advisor. The senior secured noteholders were represented by Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and the revolving credit facility lenders were represented by McGuireWoods LLP and Conway MacKenzie.

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Pace Industries Reaches Agreement to Strengthen Its Balance Sheet, Announcing Plan to Position the Business to Realize the Full Benefit of Its Operational Improvements Following COVID-19

April 12, 2020

Expects to Deleverage Balance Sheet, Creating Sustainable Capital Structure

Initiates Voluntary, Prepackaged Chapter 11 Process to Achieve Its Financial Goals

Anticipates Completing the Process in Q2 2020, Paying All Unsecured Creditors in Full

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., April 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Pace Industries, LLC (“the Company”) today announced that it has reached an agreement with its senior secured lenders on the terms of a comprehensive financial restructuring plan, which will deleverage the Company’s balance sheet. This agreement has support from 100% of the holders of its senior secured notes as well as its revolving credit facility lenders.

Upon implementation, this agreement will give the Company the financial foundation necessary to resume normal-course operations following the COVID-19 outbreak, realize the full benefit of its cost-savings initiatives and strategic investments recently executed, and continue to serve its customers as a leading fully-integrated provider of die cast aluminum, magnesium and zinc components.

To effectuate the plan and facilitate these important changes to the Company’s capital structure, the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries have initiated a voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 process in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

The Company’s operations in Mexico are unaffected by the filings, although they will benefit long-term from the actions the parent company is taking to strengthen its financial position.

The Company’s senior secured noteholders, along with its existing revolving credit lenders, will provide commitments for up to $175 million in debtor-in-possession financing to help ensure that the Company can meet its commitments during the process. Under the terms of the proposed prepackaged plan, the Company will convert its existing senior secured notes into 100% of the equity in the reorganized Company. As a result of its noteholder and lender support, the Company expects to complete the process in the second quarter of 2020 – emerging as a financially stronger company that is well-positioned to succeed in the post-COVID-19 environment.

“Over the past two years, we launched significant new programs for the automotive industry to further penetrate this important growth market and implemented a series of cost-saving initiatives to position our business for long-term success,” said Scott Bull, Chief Executive Officer. “Unfortunately, we were not able to realize the full benefits of these new programs and initiatives before the coronavirus weakened demand, disrupted our supply chain and forced us to temporarily close many of our plants in the United States.”

“We are confident in our go-forward direction and the underlying strength of our business and are taking these actions now to ensure we are positioned to realize our full potential when we – and our customers – are able to resume normal-course operations,” Mr. Bull continued. “We thank our lenders, employees, customers and suppliers for their support and look forward to being an even stronger partner as a result of the actions we’re taking to enhance our financial position.”

The Company has filed customary motions that will allow it to maintain employee wage and benefit programs, honor customer warranties as usual and continue to pay suppliers. Although the motions remain subject to Court approval, the Company expects that all trade creditors, employees, sales agents and unsecured creditors will be paid in full and on time in the normal course of business. Additionally, the Company will maintain all of its current standards for safety, quality and corporate citizenship both during and after the Chapter 11 process.

Further information about the case can be found at http://www.kccllc.net/pace or by calling (866) 967-0269 (in the U.S. and Canada) or (310) 751-2669 (outside the U.S. and Canada). Implementation of the restructuring plan and other relief is subject to Court approval, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Pace Industries is represented by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP. FTI Consulting is serving as financial advisor. The senior secured noteholders are represented by Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and the revolving credit facility lenders are represented by McGuireWoods LLP and Conway MacKenzie.

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About Pace Industries, LLC

Pace is North America’s leading full-service aluminum, zinc and magnesium die casting company. Pace offers end-to-end, nonferrous, die cast supply chain solutions, and a wide array of capabilities and services, including advanced engineering, tool and die fabrication, prototyping, precision machining, assembly, finishing and painting. Headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Pace operates the largest number and broadest range of clamping force die-casting machines in North America, which has positioned Pace uniquely to offer die-cast products for practically any customer requirement. Indeed, Pace is the only vertically integrated major die casting supplier in North America providing customers one-stop-shop services on a mass scale. For more information, visit paceind.com. 

This press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute a solicitation to accept or reject the Prepackaged Plan or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Media Contact:

John Wisdom

+1 (479) 973-2164

John.Wisdom@paceind.com

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Pace Cambridge brings home another award

November 21, 2017

The Cambridge Division of Pace Industries continued its history of winning awards at the NADCA International Die Casting Design Competition.  In fact, it was just two years ago when we last won an award at this very competition.  Check back in our blog archives for our January 14th, 2016 blog to learn more about that story.

This year, Cambridge won the Aluminum under 1 lb. division, with a Mid – Housing for L3 Technologies.  This is the main housing for a Next Gen Aiming Laser to be placed on many weapons for the U.S. military, to pair with all generations of night vision devices. The Cambridge team was given a tough task in replacing a piece that was previously conceived in plastic, that now needed to be cast in aluminum.  We designed a part that would not add weight, but significantly increase the structural integrity on the part.  Not only did we succeed, but we exceeded all expectations creating a part with walls less than 0.05” thick, yet with tremendous detail and durability.

The Cambridge division was excited to partner with L3 Technologies on this project.  Through many hours of discussions and brain storming sessions, together we designed a part that both Pace and L3 Technologies were proud to be producing. Keith Liadis of L3 Technologies said this about Pace, “It was a great experience working with the Pace team on this project, Pace certainly deserves the accolades.” Cambridge was able to showcase their full-service abilities on this part, providing everything from early supplier involvement, die casting, machining, anodizing, assembling and part packaging to be delivered to L3 Technologies.  We always strive to be the highest quality supplier to our customers and this is an example of the processes that we can perform.

Cambridge Division excels in serving niche and specialty markets, by expertly producing difficult die castings and providing exemplary project management and engineering support.  In addition, Cambridge’s value-added services includes a spectrum of capabilities including, in-house assembly, machining, finishing, and creating a total solution provider.  Situated just outside of Boston, the Cambridge Division is prepared to serve the innovative customers and countless startups in the area and all over the world.

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Pace Grafton thrives in Competition

November 7, 2017

For the past 45 years, the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) has sponsored the International Die Casting Design Competition where they recognize, reward and publicize the outstanding casting designs of the year.  This annual competition provides a competitive environment where submitted parts are judged on four equally weighted criteria, ingenuity of casting/product design, overall quality, cost savings and market-expanding potential.  The competition is broken down into several categories by both weight of castings and material used.

Pace Industries is no stranger to this competition, in the past 10 years, 6 divisions of Pace Industries have brought home a collective 12 awards. Pace has shown its expertise, by taking home awards in multiple different material and size divisions of the competition.  This year we are proud to announce that we have yet again brought home 2 awards from 2 of our divisions.

We are excited to celebrate with the Grafton Division on their winning part for the Aluminum casting 10lbs and up division.  The Grafton Division submitted a part cast out of 413 aluminum as their 2017 choice, the 44 lb. LED Light Fixture for Cree, Inc. This part was designed to increase the illuminated area by adding extra LED’s into the larger housing. What makes this light excellent is that the part not only maximizes its size, but also minimizes wind load requirements and reducing the overall part weight, helping to make the installation process much easier.  This part delivers many benefits such as reducing energy requirements, reduced maintenance cost and easier installs, allowing for rapid return on investments.

We are proud to partner with Cree, Inc. on the casting of this challenging part.  We know that our success ultimately comes when our customers succeed, and this part is truly raising the industry standard, and we are excited to be part of that.  Lisa Ruffalo from Cree, Inc. had this to say about her experience working with Pace on this project, “I was very impressed with Pace, it was a challenge to find a die caster who was able to produce a part this large but who could also produce a part with such detail.”  She went on to say “the software and mold flow analysis they used was outstanding, and they were constantly supportive and present through the entire process.”

The Grafton Division is an industry leader in complex high pressure die castings primarily for customers in the automotive, lighting, large and small engine industries.  Grafton can provide many value added services in house including machining, painting, polishing testing and assembly to name a few. Pace Industries is committed to providing uncommon solutions that contribute to the success of our customers.

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Pace Industries announces leadership changes

August 8, 2017

Pace Industries announces the recent leadership changes at the Airo and Harrison Divisions. These divisions are cornerstones of the Pace network that consists of 12 divisions, 21 facilities and over 3,500 associates across the U.S. and Mexico. Pace Industries is North America’s largest aluminum die casting company and also provides magnesium, zinc high pressure die casting, and plastic injection molding.

Effective immediately, Marshall Haines, division president of Airo Division for the last 2 years will be transferring to the Harrison Division, located in Harrison, Arkansas, to serve as their new division president. Haines has had multiple leadership roles for Pace Industries since joining the team 12 years ago, ranging from division president to being the pioneer of the current purchasing department where he served as the VP of Purchasing. In his time at Airo, Haines continued to build on the tradition of excellence and performance at Airo. Most recently, that division supported a major customer launch of a new engine platform, the first major change in the engine for that customer in many years.  Haines continued to develop his team and supported them too, while returning the highest and most successful performance levels in the last 10 years.

As Haines leaves for Harrison, Mike McDoniel, a 20-year Pace veteran, will be filling the position of division president of the Airo Division, located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Mike has served in multiple capacities for Pace, ranging from division president of our B&C Division, sales and account management for our largest customers, and VP of Purchasing. Mike recently helped to further foster the growth of the purchasing department that was started by his predecessor, Haines. The hard work and contributions made by them to the purchasing department has provided a solid foundation as a crucial department of Pace Industries, helping to save millions of dollars for the company over the past few years.

 

About Pace Industries

Pace Industries is North America’s leading full-service aluminum, zinc and magnesium die casting company. Pace is a solution provider, offering a wide array of capabilities and services, including: advanced engineering, tool making, prototyping, precision machining, assembly, finishing and painting. Headquartered in Fayetteville, Ark., Pace operates 12 divisions, 21 manufacturing facilities and has more than 4,000 associates across the U.S. and Mexico.


 
 
 
 

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Show for Product Design and Manufacturing

July 13, 2017

On June 7th, Pace Industries attended the Upper Midwest Design2Part Show in Minneapolis, MN.  The Design2Part Shows are a collection of trade shows that specialize in connecting engineers, product designers and manufacturers to some of the country’s top suppliers of custom components, parts and manufacturing services.  This event was one of the 11 shows that will be put on this year all around the US.

The team from Pace Industries provided 50 years of experience in industry sales and product engineering and design which showcased the breadth of our company. The divisions represented all the materials Pace Industries specializes in, making Pace one of the most diversified suppliers there.  We had Sales Managers from our Minnesota-based locations of St. Paul Division, specializing in Aluminum Die Casting and the Product Tech Division, which specializes in Magnesium Die Casting. The team also included Sales Management from the Arkansas-based B&C Division, one of our two Zinc Die Casting facilities, and Port City Custom Plastics, our only Plastic Injection Molding division located in Muskegon, Michigan.

This annual show is a favorite of Pace Industries and attracts potential customers Pace is eager to work alongside.  We visited with folks from a cross section of industries such as; Medical Devices, Lighting & Electrical Components, Meters & Industrial Controls, and Lawn & Garden. Pace has decades of manufacturing experience, product development and design expertise to serve these and other industries so it was a great opportunity to see new and exciting products.  Product Tech Sales Manager, Jim Hegland, had this to say about the show, “I feel this show captures more of the type of engineer who we like to meet. People who are designing new parts and are out searching for new ideas.”  Our sales managers came to the show with a desire to reach new markets and meet new potential customers.  David McWilliams from B&C, spoke on how the team worked together, “We have a great team, with knowledgeable people from Aluminum, Magnesium, Zinc and Plastics, we were able to provide information to the visitors that guided their initial material decisions (whether it be aluminum, zinc, magnesium, or plastic) which in turn helped all of our businesses.”  Our sales managers walked away with many good qualified leads, while also laying a foundation with several new potential customers.  Hegland said it best, “The way I look at it, if you get one deal out of a show like this, it was a home run” looks like Pace may have hit a Grand Slam.

Please check out Pace Industries’ booth at these upcoming Design2Part shows in Marlboro, MA (September 27th – 28th) and San Diego, CA (November 15th – 16th).

If you would like more information on how these divisions could further serve your needs, you can learn more about each division below.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Port City Custom Plastics Division Grows

June 22, 2017

Port City Division (PCD), a division of Pace Industries, has long stood as a well-respected Aluminum Die Cast supplier to a majority of the automotive industry. In 2000, they established Port City Custom Plastics (PCCP), hoping to further serve their current customers through plastic products. Specializing in plastic injection molding, PCCP quickly found their niche within their automotive and recreational vehicle customers that PCD had already served with aluminum products. Plastic seems to be a popular trend in many industries right now, as many customers are looking for an economical advantage. PCCP gives Pace Industries the opportunity to support those customers who are looking for that advantage by providing plastic injection molded products.

PCCP also compliments the die casting locations by providing overmolding options, a task that used to be outsourced that can now all be handled in-house further serving the customer. PCCP quickly grew working side by side with the die casting operations which allowed PCD to better serve their customers.

PCCP specializes in over 12 plastic materials utilized in various applications.

Almost 20 years later, PCCP has expanded into many new industries. Along with automotive they now serve the appliance, office furniture, roofing, and industrial control industries, and are seeking opportunities to serve new industries. Seeing the potential for growth, PCCP has begun to equip themselves, first by hiring a new sales manager who is dedicated to the growth of PCCP, secondly specializing in over 12 plastic materials, with nylon, polypropylene, HDPE, LDPE, Acetyl, polycarbonate, and PBT, being a few.

PCCP has continued to see success in the fast-changing automotive industry.  This industry pushes design to the limits, looking for parts that are lighter but stronger and at the same time thinner yet still safer, and often the responsibility of creating these innovative parts becomes the job of the supply base.  This is when PCCP thrives, being able to respond to industry needs and produce parts that are significantly lighter than their metal counterparts. PCCP has continually provided improved product quality for customers who are looking for those weight reductions and better product longevity.

PCCP has expanded into several new industries including appliance, office furniture, roofing, and industrial control industries.

PCCP has also found success in the roofing industry. Many homes in the northern states have roofs that are reinforced with ice/snow supports, which have in the past been made of steel. These parts would cost customers nearly $25 per piece. The engineering expertise at PCCP designed plastic pieces that would not sacrifice on strength or longevity of the parts but were priced around $10 or less per piece.  Additionally, the plastics could easily be colored to match the varying roof colors. Not only did PCCP improve the quality of these products, but helped to reduce the cost.

PCCP is located in Muskegon, Michigan along with the other PCD die casting facilities. This location has proven to be very strategic whether it be for the home construction industry, or being a few hours outside of the automotive capital of the world, Detroit. Being positioned in the Midwest provides a logistical advantage to PCCP and provides improved logistical expenses.

PCCP plastic injection molding products are made to the highest industry quality standards.

PCCP has quickly grown into an integral piece of Pace Industries, and gives us countless opportunities to further serve our current customers and to broaden our reach to new ones. We believe that PCCP helps give us a competitive advantage over our competitors and we know that PCCP can help you to achieve that same advantage.

If you have any questions or would like more information regarding Port City Custom Plastics or Plastic Injection Molding, please reach us here.

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Pace to Receive the First Board of Trustees Partnership Award from Northark College

May 17, 2017

Scott Bull (left), President of Pace Industries, accepted the Northark Board of Trustees Partnership Award on behalf of Pace Industries during the Northark Graduation Ceremony from Jane Adair, Chairman of the Board.

In recognition of our years of cooperation with Pace and Harrison’s Northark College, Pace Industries was presented with the first Northark Board of Trustees Partnership Award at the school’s commencement ceremony on May 6th.

Over the years, Pace and Northark College have cooperated to support one another in their endeavors, strengthening both the relationship of the organizations and their ability to service their students and clientele. Northark has even developed customized workforce training and specialized class offerings to help train more skilled workers for Pace’s operations.

When these classes needed equipment to provide the best possible training, Pace donated and installed a $150k die cast machine at the school. Many Northark graduates from these classes went on to join the Pace team, with the graduates’ specialized training improving the quality of Pace’s work nationwide.

(From left) Steve Kruse; Kevin Roberts; Dr. Rodney Arnold, Northark VP for institutional advancement; Justin Rummer; Cheryl Goodman and Nell Bonds, dean of community education & workforce development at Northark.

Pace and the Northark Foundation have worked together to establish a scholarship to assist manufacturing technology and industrial electronics students with their tuition. Each year, Pace donates $20,000 to support aspiring manufacturing professionals and foster job growth in the Harrison community.

“Pace has been such a good friend to this College over the years. The board felt the time has come to recognize their contributions by creating an award to recognize the vital importance of our business and industry partners,” said David Evans, Chair of the Award Committee and Northark board member.

It’s not only in Harrison that Pace is working to improve education within the community. Pace is partnering with 70 high schools and technical colleges nationwide in an effort to educate students and be a community leader in those locations.

Patterson Division (in St. Charles, MO), along with other industry leaders, sits on several advisory boards for many of Ranken College’s programs. Industry leaders look to hire as many Ranken students as possible. Student tours are constantly coming through the plants so that students can connect classroom theory with real world experience.

At our Product Tech Industries Division, Pace works with Wright Technical Center in Maple Lake, MN. Their partnership is one that supports students’ desire to explore career opportunities through state registered youth apprenticeships. Students are able to work at PTI and gain school credit, while earning a good wage for their efforts.

Pace’s long-term goal with school involvement is to show students that advanced manufacturing does not happen in dark, grimy buildings, but in places that make use of new technologies and skills that translate into rewarding, lifelong careers. Pace is looking to usher in a new generation of leaders in advanced manufacturing. Proud to be the first to accept this award from Northark, Pace is committed to growing and maintaining our participation with the college. This kind of acknowledgement from partners and clients keeps us confident that we’re fulfilling our mission to provide the highest quality in casting and manufacturing.

Scott Bull receives award for Pace Industries.
Scott Bull addresses the crowd at the NorthArk award ceremony.

 

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Pace Looking Forward to Lightfair 2017

April 27, 2017

Lightfair 2017 is just around the corner, with the 2017 event being held from May 9th to the 11th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Lightfair 2017 will play host to members of the architectural and commercial lighting industries, as they meet to learn about new solutions, knowledge and discoveries in lighting.

A hot topic at Lightfair 2017 is sure to be LED technology, with improvements to the technology a focal point of discussion. Pace is excited to attend and learn more about the technology.

One of Pace customers’ primary concerns is to dramatically reduce lead time to market. With LED technology improving so rapidly, the lighting company able to bring that new LED technology to market first, will dominate. Pace is assisting customers on the front end, with early supplier involvement (ESI) in the engineering and design of LED castings. By also getting designs to be die cast friendly, reducing their weight, and making them as cost-effective as possible, Pace is meeting customer demand.

By addressing these concerns at the beginning of the process, Pace can generate a quote faster, get their tool shops involved quicker, and reduce the lead time to build new tools. This is enabling customers to get their product out into the market faster than their competitors.

While Pace will not be showing at Lightfair 2017, they will be present to meet with industry experts to learn about advances in the lighting industry, and what role they will play in the future of lighting. Stay tuned for what they learned at the show.

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Pace’s Port City Division Awarded Certificate of Achievement from Toyota

April 10, 2017

Pace’s Port City Division was recently awarded a Certificate of Achievement at Toyota’s Supplier Conference. A casting division of PCD supplies Toyota with the vacuum pump bracket used for the hydraulic brakes in the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road package. The certificate was awarded to PCD for achieving a 100% on-time delivery rate and a zero PPM defective for the year of 2016.

A PPM (Parts per Million) score relates to the number of parts per million that are defective. If a supplier produces 10,000 parts and just one of those parts is defective, that supplier has a PPM of 100. PCD was responsible for production of over 30,000 parts, a relatively small number, but achieved a PPM of zero. While many other companies avoid taking on smaller production volumes, PCD was able to deliver these parts with a zero PPM, while remaining 100% on time.

Being on time once is easy. Being on time thousands of times, across all areas of production, throughout an entire year is a difficult task without doubt. In 2016, PCD not only met Toyota’s strict production requirements, they did it on time every time. Being on time saves the customer downtime, money, and in the end, cultivates a sense of trust between supplier and customer. When a customer knows they can depend on the supplier, they don’t need to look elsewhere.

Not only is PCD responsible for the casting of the part, they also provide secondary machining and assembly for the vacuum pump bracket. PCD machines the part, inserts a gasket (assembly), and then pressure tests the assembly to ensure the highest quality and functionality is being delivered to Toyota.

With Port City Division able to offer these secondary operations, they provide an added value to their customers. While competitors may only supply the raw casting, PCD goes above and beyond to ensure that whatever they produce is being sent to the customer when they need it and how they need it. The secondary operations for this part include machining, blast finishing, assembly, and pressure testing.

This award from Toyota stands as a testament to the Port City Division’s uncompromising commitment to excellence, upholding the values of Pace as a whole. By accommodating all processes in-house, PCD helps Toyota optimize their total cost by providing an end to end solution, saving time and money. At PCD, our culture of zero defects and exceeding our customers’ expectations ensures that partners like Toyota remain just that.

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Pace receives NADCA Safety Awards 12 years in a row

April 7, 2016

Pace is remarkably proud of our recognition by the National Aluminum Die Casting Association (NADCA). Multiple divisions within the company received NADCA Safety Awards this year, which marks 12 consecutive years we have received these prestigious industry awards.

According to NADCA, the frequency and injury rates for the die casting industry are approximately twice those of other private industries. So safety is a big concern for the industry. To be recognized within the industry for exceptional safety standards is a significant honor, and it shows that our commitment to the issue is making a difference.


About the Award

The NADCA Safety Award Program was developed to honor Corporate Members that both exceed and meet the average U.S. national safety standards for all manufacturing in a given year. There are two award levels within the program. Perfect Safety award winners have an incident rate of 0.00, while Outstanding Safety award winners are companies with a 4.00 or less of total recordable cases. That number is an average of the entire manufacturing industry.

Incidence rates are based on the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 fulltime workers. The average is calculated by the number of injuries and illnesses divided by total hours worked by all employees during the calendar year.

Recognition for Pace

Overall there were nine divisions within Pace that were recognized this year. B&C achieved the highest award for Perfect Safety. Harrison, which has a particularly strong safety record, received the Outstanding Award for the 12th year in a row. Two of those years were for Perfect Safety.

Other Outstanding Safety awards this year were given to Patterson Mold & Tool, Airo, Product Tech, Grafton, Cambridge, St. Paul, and Mangas Tool & Die.

Award winning companies will be featured in the May issue of DCE magazine and will be recognized during a luncheon at NADCA’s Die Casting Congress & Tabletop in Columbus, Ohio, September 26-28, 2016.

Planned Progress

To a large extent, our positive results are due to our Health & Safety Management System (HSMS) and our employees’ commitment to safety. Each division is responsible for implementing four elements within HSMS: Management Commitment & Associate Involvement, Worksite Analysis, Hazard Prevention & Control and Training. To hold ourselves accountable, the corporate health & safety department audits and scores each division every two years.

A few initiatives of HSMS include:

Making safety personal: Each Pace associate is asked to create his or her own Personal Safety Pledge. This could be anything from not texting and driving, remembering to wear seatbelts, and wearing proper PPE while using shop tools.

Having high expectations for contractors: The HSMS requires outside contractors working at Pace to receive the same high quality safety training as associates. They must follow the same rules and policies, as well.

Improving health & wellness: We have held health clinics where Health Risk Assessments are provided to encourage associates and their families to improve their health and prevent serious illnesses.

 

A Measureable Difference

Pace has decreased the recordable incident rate 75% from 2011 to ending 2015. This is due in large part to our CEO, Scott Bull and the executive team’s commitment to safety, as well as all of the associates at Pace, being focused on improving the safety culture.

We’ve learned that when we hold each other accountable to make good, safe choices on the job, we create a safety 24/7 culture. This means greater efficiency for our customers and a better work environment for our associates where they feel valued and safe.

Our commitment to safety is unconditional, and working safely is a condition of employment. We believe all accidents are preventable, and we have clear goal to achieve zero injuries. This should mean many more years of Safety Awards in our future.

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Connecting and Educating through Lunch and Learns

February 4, 2016

Darren Bombich, Eric Waa and David McWilliams.
Darren Bombich, Eric Waa and David McWilliams.

In training our suppliers about Pace Industries and our die casting capabilities, we begin the process of Early Supplier Involvement. As we’ve discussed in earlier blogs, Early Supplier Involvement is where our greatest opportunity lies and allows us to work with our customers to find uncommon, creative solutions.

Pace’s St. Paul Division, which produces aluminum die castings for highly cosmetic, complex and difficult-to-fill parts and specializes in flash-free, net-shape production, has become a shining example of this practice. The St. Paul team recently visited GHSP, a leading global supplier of mechanical and mechatronic control systems to surface transportation industries, and held a Lunch and Learn in an effort to educate on zinc and aluminum die casting.

Not only were they able to discuss services, capabilities and processes, but were able to showcase some of the parts St. Paul had die cast for GHSP for the 2015 Ford Mustang. These parts were recently featured in this Detroit Muscle episode on Power Nation TV.

The benefits of the Lunch and Learn were being able to teach and familiarize GHSP’s purchasing team, engineering team and quality team with die casting, the processes involved and the tolerance involved. The results were positive from all teams who felt the meeting allowed them to view Pace as an advisor on future opportunities and gave them a direct contact to follow up and ask questions.
“By establishing a contact, it shortens that bridge in order to have the conversation with somebody. They are more likely to pick up the phone and call you if they’ve met you.”
— Darren Bombich, Sales Manager / Sales Engineer
When conducting your own Lunch and Learns, it’s important to know who your audience is so you can flavor the presentation towards that group of people – an engineering group loves data and very technical information, while a purchasing audience requires less details and more of a bigger picture. Take the time to truly understand your audience and tailor the presentation to them.

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Pace Honored With Four NADCA International Die Casting Competition 2015 Awards

January 14, 2016

We are pleased to announce that the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) has awarded Pace Industries with four honors this past year. This is a prestigious international competition that brings the best designs in die casting together. Each is judged on the difficulty to cast, the brilliant engineering required and the benefit and value that the design delivers to the customer.

The Cambridge Division won the 2015 International Die Cast Competition for Aluminum Die Castings 1 to 10 lbs for the submission of the JAMCO arm rest. This was an extremely difficult part to design as a die casting. Full credit must be given to Don Tremblay for the excellent design engineering. Don worked tirelessly with the customer, establishing confidence in Cambridge’s engineering prowess and convincing them of the design changes required to make this a successful conversion to a die casting. The overall success of this program extends to our total Engineering and Manufacturing group. Working as a true team, focused on the success of the project, we delivered excellence to our customer and delighted them with our performance.

Our St. Paul Division took second place for this category with its Diffuser Grilles. The amount of detail, looking at a market that normally doesn’t have die casting in it, was particularly impressive to the judges. They also noted how well executed it was for the St. Paul Division to take a bunch of different parts and integrate them into one usable part.

Grafton was awarded the 2015 International Die Cast Competition for Aluminum Die Castings over 10 lbs category for the 824 Crankcase. Beau Glim, Project Manager at NADCA, stated that what made an impression on the judges was the jet cooling. It is something that is typically very difficult to cool so to see it cool that quickly for die casting was an amazing feat that resulted in this award.

The Product Tech Division won the 2015 Casting Competition for Magnesium Die Castings over .5 lbs category for the Multispeed Wheel. The judges found the wheel to be very innovative. They were impressed by the detail, the control, and the very unique application for die casting that was demonstrated by the Product Tech Division.

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Celebrating Dan Krinock: The man behind Airo for nearly 40 years

December 1, 2015

At Pace, it’s our people who make the difference – who help differentiate our organization from the competition. So, as Dan Krinock transitions from president of our Airo Division in Loyalhanna, Penn. to a consultant for Pace leadership on special projects, we’re using this space to celebrate the man who dedicated nearly four decades of his life to the die casting industry and our Airo Division. After all, it would be difficult to tell the Pace story without feeling Dan’s influence.

Gene Eggman EVP HR & Gov Affairs with Dan Krinock
Gene Eggman EVP HR & Gov Affairs with Dan Krinock

“The early growth and success of Airo Die Casting was greatly influenced by Dan’s relentless search for the next innovative management trend,” said Scott Bull, CEO, Pace. “Dan has always embraced change, and this led Airo to become one of the most versatile and valuable divisions in the Pace family.”

“Dan always had a vision of what the next step should be and was able to communicate that vision – from the operator on the floor to the leadership of the company,” said Vinnie Battaglia, who worked side by side with Dan for the majority of his nearly 40 years at Airo.

Dan’s ability to innovate and lead has always been among his greatest traits. In 1976, he helped establish an identity for Airo as one of just two die casting facilities in North America capable of manufacturing blades for the gaseous diffusion industry. By the following decade, the Loyalhanna-based facility had evolved into a leader in the casting of conversion boxes for the booming cable television industry. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, he orchestrated the implementation to robotic technology, a central melt system and the facility’s first reciprocator. Under Dan’s leadership, Airo has emerged today as a 155,400-square-foot manufacturing facility with a full range of services and capabilities for the automotive, motorcycle, recreational vehicle and heatsink technology industries.

Vince Battaglia, Gordon Silvis, Don Frayvolt, Dan Krinock, Tony Rich, Rick Levrio and Sam Snively.

“I’ve worked with Dan for over 20 years and his focus has remained consistent from the beginning,” said Jeff Wareham, quality manager, Airo. “He always says, ‘If we aren’t improving, we’re going backward.’ He’s never satisfied with just doing what we’ve always done.”

It’s that approach that helped earn Airo the top Jobs First Governor’s ImPAct Award in June 2014. The award ­­– presented annually by the governor of Pennsylvania – recognizes businesses across the state that have made a positive impact on local and state economies through consistent job growth, associate retention and development.

Dan made a habit of extending that level of passion and enthusiasm beyond the walls of Airo and into the surrounding community.

“Dan was one of the first people I met when I became president of the area chamber of commerce – and he’s always been one who just makes things happen,” said David Martin, president, Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Community Chamber of Commerce. “He’s always there, helping improve quality of life and working to create opportunity.

“He has a passion for local workforce development,” Martin explained. “Dan went as far as to help coordinate partnerships between local manufacturers and schools. His thought was, if there are kids who aren’t going to four-year universities, we want to make sure they have a trade coming out of high school. These kids could stay local, work local and make careers for themselves.”

That’s the level of commitment Dan used to blaze a trail of success.

“Dan continually reinvented the mindset of his team and the community around him to deliver success,” said Rod Taylor, COO, Pace. “He has a way of finding new thinking to drive results. He’s always learning and that serves as a great reminder to all of us.”

Krinock Family with CEO Scott Bull (Black sweater) seated next to Dan Krinock.
Krinock Family with CEO Scott Bull (Black sweater) seated next to Dan Krinock.

As Dan transitions into his new role as consultant to Pace leadership on special projects – and eventually into retirement – he’ll be doing more fishing, golfing, and spending quality time with family. And, he’ll be the first to tell you, it’s time to ramp up the number of outings with his hunting buddy, his grandson.

Thank you for a job well done, Dan, and enjoy this time of transition. You’ve earned it.

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Pace Industries and Port City Division Merge to Create one of North America’s Largest Die Casting Companies

July 15, 2015

We are excited to welcome Port City Division to the Pace family. Together we look forward to working together to take advantage of all the best practices and synergies to help stay at the forefront of the industry and continue to provide uncommon, creative solutions which contribute to the success of our customers.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., and MUSKEGON, Mich., July 1, 2015 – Pace Industries, North America’s largest full-service aluminum, zinc and magnesium die casting company based in Fayetteville, Ark., announces the merger with Port City Division in Muskegon, Mich. The merger will provide die casting, machining, manufacturing and finishing capabilities across diverse industries including automotive, lighting, electrical, recreational and others.

The combined company will consist of 12 divisions and 21 facilities with sales of approximately $600 million across the United States and Mexico.

Pace Industries President and CEO Scott Bull said, “Blending the strengths of Pace and Port City Division will result in a formidable automotive supplier and preferred non-automotive supplier in the die casting industry and build our capabilities to deliver better quality, service and value to customers.”

Port City Division will become a division of Pace Industries. John Essex will remain CEO of Port City Division, join the Pace Board of Directors, and become one of its largest shareholders while leading Pace’s automotive growth strategy.

Essex said, “Over the last few years, it became apparent that we needed a platform for our growth that would provide us greater geographical reach than what we had with our Michigan-based facilities. This merger will provide needed capacity in closer proximity to some of our customers in North America while expanding our production capability.”

According to Bull, the companies will work together to take full advantage of best practices and synergies, which will provide both organizations the capabilities and resources to meet and exceed customer expectations.

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