By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz
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WALKER — When other companies abandoned manufacturing operations in West Michigan, Pi Optima Inc. thought the time was perfect to get in the game and they’ve been growing ever since.

The company, which started in 2007, went looking for strategic opportunities among the region’s manufacturing base. Led by Matt Lepard and two silent partners, the group sought firms that were successful, but that perhaps saw performance level off.

“We took the philosophy of saying that there were strong manufacturers in West Michigan and a lot of ingenuity that’s tied to those companies,” Lepard, president of Pi Optima, told MiBiz. “We did not want to start something new, so we wanted to seek those that had plateaued and could benefit from commonizing back office functions. We were getting into a company that has a track record and just needs some horsepower or additional resources.

“The plan was that when everyone was running for the hills that we could be selective and invest. We could get in when others were getting out. It was scary, but we didn’t think Armageddon was here. We have a strong base in West Michigan, and we’re fortunate with the customers we’re aligned with. None of them disappeared (during the recession) and now they’re on a trajectory.”

The company has three main divisions: Machine Works, which provides machining, tool and die, fixtures and fabrication services; Engineered Products, which designs, engineers and assembles products for various markets; and Inventive Solutions, which provides design, engineering, prototyping and sourcing expertise to customers.

After picking up a tool and die and engineering firm, the former Dietool Engineering Company, in Walker earlier this year, Pi Optima expands its geography outside of the lakeshore region, having originally acquired operations in Holland and Zeeland from 2007 to 2009. The recent move was driven largely by the need to meet the demands of its Machine Works’ customers in Zeeland.

“We were growing so much in Zeeland — our customers are going gangbusters — so we started the hunt for more capacity and we found this place. It gave us new geography and more capabilities for our current customers and our new customers from over the past year,” Lepard said. “We needed more machining capability because we’re trying to do more project management for our customers.

They’re getting wickedly busy, and instead of farming it out, we were looking for that capability for ourselves.”

The diversified machining and engineering company employs 17 people and supports OEMs and suppliers in several industries, but mainly food processing, automotive, office furniture and mining and energy. They’ve also found a niche supply of vibration-free fixtures, design, prototyping and testing for the aerospace industry. Lepard said most of Pi Optima’s customers are in West Michigan, but the company does work with clients across the country.

Its Engineered Products Division has relationships with several truck products companies, which it supplies with handles, hinges, brackets, electronics and mechanisms for truck caps and covers, for example.

By investing in the Walker plant, Pi Optima was able to add to its core machining capabilities, albeit on a much smaller scale than at its Zeeland facility, as well as picked up capacity for equipment in tool and die. Lepard said the company has been working to adapt the facility to its processes, as well as moving in machines from its other plant. Once the company gets a firmer handle on its capabilities in Walker, it will grow its operation organically by finding more ways to support its customers, he said.

“Our secret sauce has been to focus on customer support. When we screw up — and that doesn’t happen very often — we stand behind our customers. Our customers are going 100 miles an hour with their hair on fire and we’re saying we’re here and will support you and what you do whatever needs to be done. We want to be recognizable and memorable,” Lepard said.

Case in point, Pi Optima’s goal for its Machine Works division was to take it from a lifestyle business to one more focused on the needs of its customers. “We wanted to take a lifestyle business and make it a professional support business,” he said. That’s meant that the division has added a second shift, somewhat of a rarity for a smaller shop. “What we’re trying to do is apply ingenuity to optimize cost, function and time for our customers. There’s nothing magic about cutting steel. The value we can add is with the other services we have, but also with the firm belief that we stand behind what we do. Even with cutting steel, many do it, but not many do it with the dedication and customer support we have.”

Overall, Lepard feels confident that manufacturing will remain strong across the region, especially as more and more customers get busy as the economy rebounds.

“It’s incredibly positive that we’re seeing investment in manufacturing in West Michigan, not just from the local companies, but from global companies. The companies that have been here and using the horsepower already know it, but it speaks for itself when we’ve got companies from around the world popping in here,” he said, referring to the planned advanced battery investments in Holland, Battle Creek and Muskegon. “My prognosis is that manufacturing will continue to grow. It will change and get a lot more advanced and evolved.”