Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
May 01, 2015 02:00 AM

Rotomolder makes its name with 'practical premium products'

Bill Bregar
Senior Staff Reporter
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Premier O.E.M.
    Premier O.E.M. is a turnkey designer and maker of outdoor products, including parts for high end off-road vehicles.

    CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO — Rotational molding veterans from the toy-molding hotbed of northeastern Ohio are running Premier O.E.M., a turnkey designer and manufacturer of outdoor recreational products.

    Premier is housed in a 37,000-square-foot building in Cuyahoga Falls that was the former site of a building products company — and before that, a Children's Palace toy store. Chief Operating Officer Jim Nagy points out where the decorative archway entrance used to be, beckoning the children of Akron into the early toy chain store emporium.

    That toy store connection is ironic, since Nagy and several other executives used to work at Step2 Co. and Little Tikes Co. But Premier turns out toys for adults — like super heavy-duty Orca ice coolers and center consoles and roofs for UTVs, the side-by-side utility terrain vehicles gaining in popularity. Customers include brand names Kawasaki, Honda, Bombardier Recreational Products, Club Car golf carts and Fluid kayaks.

    Premier runs four rotomolding machines from Ferry Industries Inc., which is located right down the street.

    Premier is more than just a rotomolder. Premier is a producer of what Nagy calls “practical premium products.” But you won't find Premier's name on the items.

    “All of our stuff is branded by our customers, so we are the private-label company,” Nagy said. “Premier does not have is own brand, but instead, we're a trade brand. We're actually developing the product for them.”

    Premier, which employs 57, handles the design engineering and rotomolding. It outsources injection and blow molded plastic parts and fabricated metal components from other suppliers, and handles final assembly and packaging. Mike Satina, the OEM account manager, has a background in graphic design, and can develop the packaging design with customers. He also had worked as project manager at Step2.

    Premier does not release sales figures.

    Nagy has 22 years in the rotomolded toy industry, in roles from product designer at Little Tikes and Step2, to manufacturing engineering to vice president of operations at Step2.

    The origins of Premier O.E.M came in 2004, when Nagy was at Step2 in Streetsboro, Ohio. On his own time, he tinkered with aftermarket components for Yamaha Motor Co.'s side-by-side UTV, the Rhino.

    “Instantly, you got in and you'd go for a ride, and you'd learn some of the shortcomings of the product,” Nagy said.

    When the Rhino came out, the interior was pretty bare-bones.

    “So when you sat in this thing, you had no place to put your phone, no place to put your drink, things like that.” Nagy said. So the team developed a center console with a cup-holder and other features.

    The company made some molds and outsourced the rotational molding and sold them on eBay, 25 or 30 each day.

    “We had a little map and we were going to put a pin in for every place we sold it. But after a couple of days, we said, we can't even do this anymore,” Nagy said, with a laugh.

    What about the summer, when the sun beats down on the driver and passenger? Nagy looked online and people were jerry-rigging pieces of canvas or plywood. So the company designed a rotomolded, foam-filled roof.

    It sold 15 to 20 a day on eBay. Nagy said they got parts back from the molder, put a FedEx label on the package and shipped them out: “Just boom, boom, boom.”

    For the winter they made a windshield.

    The design team bought a Rhino and developed an aftermarket package for hunters. A safari version. A version for a farmer's work vehicle.

    “We took a really new category and did something special,” Nagy said.

    Owners of the side-by-sides had already invested in the high-end UTVs, so they had no problem spending a few hundred dollars more to upgrade.

    Premier exhibited at a power-sports trade show in 2006.

    “The way it got started was, everybody wanted to go for it. So we did a design. And what we were doing is basically talking all of our collective experiences on how to do product development,” Nagy said.

    It looked sharp. “We made a vehicle that had all the fenders, storage, roofs and everything that was integrated all together. It looked like it was meant for the vehicle. And a customer could buy this part, later add that part. And it looked like it was from the same company, vs. mix and match of things,” he said.

    Nagy and the team from Premier drew on years of experience in the toy industry, building realistic foam models and hosting a professional exhibit.

    “It was all very well-thought-out,” he said. “What we found out when we got there was, this is a completely disorganized industry. Anybody that had a welder, or could bend a piece of metal in their garage, was at this show.”

    Premier O.E.M.

    Jim Mooney, left, is the director of operations at Premier O.E.M. Jim Nagy, right, is chief operating officer.

    Yamaha officials visited Premier's booth and signed the company to a seven-year contract for design, development and manufacturing.

    “They already realized that our products were driving the sales of their vehicle,” Nagy said.

    Yamaha gave Premier credibility, which opened more doors. Soon the company was turning out 60 different products from original equipment manufacturers and its own aftermarket items.

    Then the recession hit. In 2008, Premier officials started looking for a company that could distribute its products catering to an outdoor lifestyle. It signed a deal with Kolpin Outdoors Inc., a leader in accessories for off-road vehicles.

    “They have a very strong brand in the hunting and outdoor category,” Nagy said. “We talked to the CEO there, and in a very short time he picked up the entire line.”

    Premier sold the aftermarket business to Kolpin. In 2009, the company began its own molding operations, in two small plants in the Akron area. By 2010, Kolpin acquired the rest of the business.

    Nagy left Step2, after 18 years at the toymaker. He led an aggressive plan to grow the new company.

    In late 2011, the company moved into its current building. It beefed up the electrical power, added a new gas line, fixed up the restrooms and lunchroom.

    Last April, Kolpin — and with it, Premier — was acquired by powersports heavyweight Polaris Industries Inc.

    The strategy hasn't changed. Nagy said Premier is becoming well-known as a solid manufacturer that can give advice on new product features.

    “We are a trade brand and we are known for making a premium product. If we make a cooler, we're not making a cooler with a blender and a stereo system in it. We're making a damn good, robust cooler that somebody's going to appreciate for a long time,” he said.

    Premier focuses on executing, from first developing a product through delivery. Nagy said the company has very good customer service, both to retailers and — through a call center — the final consumer. That contact with end-users helps Premier understand important design features for new products, and give advice to OEMs.

    Satina is the project leader with customers.

    “When we're working with a customer, like a Kawasaki or a Honda, we're giving them unbelievable service. That's Mike's job,” Nagy said. “They know exactly what they're going to get. We keep them fully informed.”

    According to Nagy, Premier is using only CNC-machined molds at its rotomolding operation. The company sources the machined aluminum molds from outside toolmakers, but Nagy said Premier plans to buy CNC machining equipment to make molds in-house in the third quarter of this year.

    It's a major investment, but Nagy said machined molds produce parts with a higher level of precision and a cleaner surface, compared to traditional cast aluminum molds. Machined molds also allow for easier modifications and revisions, he said.

    To boost its mold efforts, Premier recently hired Mark Swartz as business development and solution specialist. Swartz has experience at rotational mold makers Wheeler Boyce Co., Diversified Molds and Lakeland Mold, which is now called Avantech.

    Last year, Jim Mooney, a 24-year rotomolding veteran, joined as director of operations. His background included product development engineering at Little Tikes and Step2. He was plant manager at Step2 before joining Premier.

    Premier's management team is made up of Nagy, Mooney, Satina, Swartz and Patrick Tehan, the controller.

    As the company grows, Mooney is helping it adopt new technology and train employees. He is certified as a black belt and master black belt at Kent State University's Lean Six Sigma program.

    He has experience organizing kaizen events to foster continuous improvement.

    Nagy said those people skills are important, especially in the rotomolding industry.

    “This company is the people. It only goes to how much they care and want to participate productively,” he said.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Italian machine builder Magic completes US headquarters
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Biden sets US goal to replace 90% of plastics with biomaterials
    2
    Polymer Points Live March 2023: Commodity resin prices rising, but engineering resins see drops
    3
    Ad panels say ABA overstated PET bottle recycling efforts
    4
    Boston buys sole ownership of General Polymers
    5
    Film maker Inteplast sees green in green
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified