Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development adds 20th member

Scappoose, Oregon; September 20, 2018 – The Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development (OMIC R&D) continues to grow its company membership with the recent addition of global cutting tools manufacturer Seco Tools, LLC. With a total now of seventeen manufacturing industry partners and three Oregon public universities, the Scappoose, Oregon based R&D facility continues to build a world-class operation to develop advanced metals manufacturing technologies through its research and development activities.

Headquartered in Fagersta, Sweden, Seco Tools was established over 80 years ago and now has more than 4,000 personnel in 75 countries worldwide, including 400 in the U.S. Their manufacturing focus is the production of comprehensive metal cutting solutions for milling, stationary tools, holing and tool making systems. Seco Tools primarily provides cutting tools to the Aerospace, Automotive, General Machining, Power Gen, Medical, and Die Mold sectors. Seco is part of Sandvik Machining Solutions.

Matt Carter, chair of the OMIC R&D Board of Governors said, “We welcome Seco Tools to the OMIC R&D family as our newest member company. Seco Tools prides itself on building close relationships with customers to effectively understand and address their needs. They have helped take machine shops to the next level of productivity and effective resource use with their high performance, innovative products. This is the type of partner that OMIC R&D appreciates adding to our high quality slate of members. The Board looks forward to working with Seco Tools as another strong partner in this unique center of collaboration.”

OMIC R&D is the fifteenth such research center established with Boeing leadership worldwide, and the first Boeing has sponsored in the United States. Its mission is to bring together manufacturing companies and higher education in an innovation environment to solve challenges off-production-line for advanced manufacturers. Faculty and university students undertake “outside-in” applied research to solve real production problems while training the next generation of engineers and technologists. Member companies share machinery, equipment such as tools, and expertise to create a highly dynamic and innovative R&D center for members in which to tackle critical manufacturing improvement.

Dave Todd, Western Zone and Aerospace manager for Seco Tools said, “We’re excited and proud to part of Boeing’s first sponsored research center in the United States. Being associated with OMIC R&D in an environment where stakeholders from industry and academia collaborate side by side driving step change technology, creating energy which benefits the State of Oregon and associated members. Additionally, by supporting local engineering talent and competence development in Oregon and the Northwest, Seco Tools will be looking into possible internships resulting from this collaboration.”

Seco Tools joins nineteen other OMIC R&D industry and university members in the Scappoose facility: ATI; Blount International; Boeing; CG Tech; Daimler Trucks North America; HAIMER, Hangsterfer’s Laboratories, Inc.; Kennametal; Mitsubishi Materials Corporation; Oregon Institute of Technology; Oregon State University; OSG USA, Inc; Sandvik Coromant; Portland State University; Silver Eagle Manufacturing; Summit Manufacturing Inc.; Vigor; Walter Tools; and WFL Millturn Technologies.

Craig Campbell, executive director of OMIC R&D said, “Seco Tools builds on our bench-strength in cutting tools and other metals manufacturing at OMIC R&D. Seco is known for a focus on constantly improving their levels of quality, and improving the experiences of all of their customers. Every one of their employees is responsible for quality, and has an opportunity to positively impact reliability and responsiveness as Seco meets their customer needs. They are a strong, new member of OMIC R&D and we’re excited about what they can bring to the organization.”

The OMIC R&D advanced-manufacturing model helps diverse manufacturers and industries increase competitiveness, while creating an integrated partnership with the local economy. With research activities expanded with high-cost, high-value machinery being constantly added on to the production floor, OMIC R&D is increasing state and regional commercial manufacturing productivity while stimulating economic growth and development.

Coordinated with OMIC R&D’s applied research projects will be hands-on “earn and learn” apprenticeship programs at the PCC OMIC Training Center, led by Portland Community College, and located in a nearby facility that PCC is building. While the Training Center construction is underway, PCC has a temporary delivery site at Scappoose High School.

OMIC R&D has the strong support of trade unions, including the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, which recognize the importance of training and apprenticeship programs in growing high-skill, high-wage manufacturing jobs in Oregon via innovation and industry growth. Metals manufacturing is a cornerstone industry for the Greater Portland area, with current employment estimated at nearly 28,000 and approximately 600 small, medium and large metals manufacturing companies.