Nidec Minster begins $25M expansion

File Photo/The Daily Standard

Nidec Minster is in the midst of a $25 million expansion project. It will involve extending two machining bays and adding new equipment.

MINSTER - Nidec Minster, a global supplier of equipment and services for the material forming industry, has broken ground on a $25 million expansion project.

The 23,900-square-foot expansion project will include extending two machining bays and purchasing and installing two world-class, large-capacity bridge mill machining centers, according to a company news release.

Dave Stilwell, Nidec marketing communication specialist, said the project will expand its machine shop area out 162 feet to Sixth Street.

"It's going to greatly expand the room and we're going to put in two big, very technical, very precise machining centers that will machine very large components for the presses we make," Stilwell said.

The project is slated to be completed by December, he said. Although a large expansion, it's hard to pinpoint the number of jobs the project will create, Stilwell said. Minster's location employs just under 500 employees, he noted.

Photo by Daily Standard Staff

Nidec headquarters in Minster.

As part of the project, Minster's largest machining bay will be converted to a climate-controlled facility, the release reads. Metal expands and shrinks with temperature fluctuations, so having a constant temperature in the facility allows the material to maintain a constant size, thus allowing Nidec Minster to machine parts of up to 23 feet wide to extreme tolerances.

"As our business continues to grow, it's important that we match that growth with an investment in our facilities and state-of-the-art machine tools that will allow us to deliver industry-leading products and solutions to our customers," said Nidec Minster President Ronald Arling in a statement.

The expansion will also include an 80-ton crane in the large bay addition, a 50-ton crane in the smaller bay and a drive-thru loading/unloading area for semi-truck traffic.

"This facility upgrade will not only improve the quality of our products but will increase our efficiency and workflow," Arling said.

As part of a strategic growth initiative, the expansion included an investment of more than $14 million in new machine tools over the past 18 months, all new energy-saving LED lighting and the re-painting of the facility interior, the release reads.

"We have been replacing aging machining technology, which has allowed us to bring several manufacturing processes back in-house, saving money and controlling quality," Arling said. "However, a major emphasis has also been on improving working conditions to help us retain and recruit exceptional employees."

Earlier this year, Nidec Minster opened a 12,600-square-foot facility in downtown Dayton, which has allowed the company to recruit professionals from a wider geographic area, according to the release.

Nidec Minster is also the world headquarters for Nidec Press & Automation, an integrated group of six product brands with 13 global locations.