Niche Polymer LLC on May 1 became a Certified Minority Business Enterprise.
That classification was awarded to Niche — a compounder based in Columbia, Md., with manufacturing operations in Ravenswood, W. Va. — by the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council. The TSMSDC is based in Louisville, Ky., and serves minority businesses in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.
A Niche spokesman said the certification will allow the firm to seek out business opportunities for minority-owned businesses in several markets, including automotive and consumer goods. Niche is part of SirNaik Group, a collection of businesses owned by Saurabh Naik, who is a native of India.
Niche employs around 100 at a 200,000-square-foot site in Ravenswood. The firm makes color and additive compounds based on a variety of resins, including polypropylene, polycarbonate, nylon and ABS. Niche's sales are split evenly between proprietary compounds and tolling work.
Other plastic-related businesses in SirNaik Group include Intercontinental Export-Import (IEI) Inc., a recycler/extruder in Columbia; Polymer Alliance Services LLC, a logistics and secondary services firm in Washington, W. Va.; Green Loop Export LLC, an engineering resin scrap firm in Columbia; and recycling firm Green Research Center LLC of Parkersburg, W. Va.
