The acquisition of Helical Solutions LLC by Harvey Tool Co., Rowley, Mass., officially took place August 2015. The opportunity to combine the product performance and technical expertise of both organizations was the driving force behind the initial acquisition, according to Harvey Tool CEO Pete Jenkins.

"We admired Helical Solutions for many reasons, including its high-efficiency, high-performance standard products, as well as custom milling solutions. The range of their large-diameter products and technical expertise complements our miniature endmills and specialty profile products," he said.

Helical Solutions, Gorham, Maine, has been rapidly growing as a carbide cutting tool manufacturer since its inception in 2001. Jenkins believes the company's service record, distribution network and dedication to the latest endmill technologies are key to its success in the cutting tool market. "Helical has a similar reputation for high-quality products and a technical sales force that takes a solution-based approach toward the customer," Jenkins said. "The company is a perfect cultural fit for the things we're trying to accomplish here at Harvey Tool."

Helical Solutions' facility in Gorham, Maine, includes an R&D operation, where the company can try new geometries and cutting tools to meet the specific needs of its customers. Image courtesy Harvey Tool.

One example is the hands-on machining experience of Helical's application engineers, which will help identify future opportunities in the field. Additionally, an R&D operation at Helical's Maine facility will allow engineers to test new geometries and tools in-house. "Having the capability to accomplish R&D right at the plant is an asset, particularly for the end users looking for specific, customized cutting tool solutions," Jenkins added.

Since the acquisition, Jenkins has been working at all levels of the organization to make the transition as smooth as possible. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to bring Helical's technical engineering expertise together with our in-stock tooling and service model," Jenkins said.

Harvey Tool has already begun to expand the size and scale of Helical Solutions. The plan is to fill more new positions in the near future, according to Jenkins. "This is a growth play. We're investing heavily in equipment, people and processes to put both brands in a better position to compete and grow," Jenkins said.

Both the Harvey Tool and Helical Solutions brands will be driven by the customer service and support model offered at Harvey since the company began in 1985. "We're all experiencing change in manufacturing as the technology and the machining processes evolve," Jenkins said. "It's an exciting time to see what the future holds."

For more information on Harvey Tool, call (800) 645-5609 or visit www.harveytool.com. For information on Helical Solutions, call (866) 543-5422 or visit www.1helical.com.