Heartland Business Bank

Local Manufacturer Win’s Wisconsin SBA’s 2003 Small Business Person of the Year Award

POYNETTE: – "Even though we have state of the art equipment and modern facilities, we realize that our most important assets are our employees and the more they learn, the more our customers benefit from it." These words are the mantra by which Wisconsin’s SBA 2003 Small Business Person of the Year winners, Stuart W. Varner, Lester J. Gaunt, Randy R. Brookens and Mark G. Schaap, the management group of Non-Metallic Components, Inc. (NMC) operates. NMC was nominated by Heartland Business Bank in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

NMC is a leader in the fields of custom injection of molded thermoplastic products, engineering and tool design and serve industries that include water conditioning, medical, appliance automotive and small machines. In 1993, NMC was originally founded by its four current owners that make up the management group along with recently retired Robert Stamstad. Together, they purchased the company from Suratco Products Company. In December of 1996, the four minority shareholders (the oldest 37, the youngest 27), took complete ownership of the firm as the majority shareholder retired. In the process, NMC’s debt load nearly doubled and the firm’s net worth was reduced. The heavy debt burden, along with the four owners’ youth, left many customers with uneasy feelings of skepticism. To combat this, the four owners candidly addressed these concerns by marketing and remarketing not just NMC but also themselves. This continuous customer contact coupled with high quality service quickly garnered the new NMC the respect of its customers.

When NMC was purchased, it operated out of one production and assembly facility in Poynette, Wisconsin. Under the new ownership, the company opened another assembly facility in Rib Lake, Wisconsin and in Cuba City, Wisconsin and now operate out of all three facilities. As a result, sales and profits have increased each year since inception.

NMC has always had a participative style of management. The management staff, who are also shareholders, are involved in decisions on company policy, capital expenditures, profit margins and budgeting, in addition to their day-to-day functions. NMC realizes that no matter how brilliant the design, how high tech the resin, how tight the tolerances or how flawless the process, what really makes a successful program is the people.

NMC has a strong commitment to the communities in which they are located. They have worked exclusively with the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to bring jobs to repressed areas of the state. The Cuba City facility was built in Grant County because it was considered a targeted development zone by the State. NMC committed to bring 26 jobs to the community within three years of opening the facility and has exceeded this commitment. This venture between the State, NMC and Cuba City has proved extremely successful and brought jobs back to an economically depressed area. They donate to Junior Achievement, local little league teams, the local fire departments, Special Olympics and local booster clubs.

As Wisconsin’s Small Business Persons of the Year, NMC’s management team was judged on their staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales and/or unit volume, current and past financial reports, innovations of product or service, response to adversity and contributions to aid community-oriented projects.

SBA is proud to honor the management team of Non-Metallic Components, Inc. as this year’s Wisconsin Small Business Persons of the Year. NMC’s management team, along with other businesses and small business advocates winners, will be honored on Friday, May 16, 2003 at the SBA’s 18th Annual Small Business Awards Presentation Breakfast at the Italian Community Center, 631 East Chicago Street, Milwaukee beginning at 7:00 a.m. For more information, please contact Mary Trimmier at 414-297-1093.

The SBA helps small businesses each year with access to capital and credit through its financial assistance programs, as well as assisting small business owners with technical training and counseling services. For more information about all of the SBA’s programs for small businesses, call the SBA Answer Desk at 1-800-U-ASK-SBA or TDD 704-344-6640. Also, visit the SBA’s extensive Web site at www.sba.gov. The SBA, in co-sponsorship with Staples, has introduced an online newsletter SBA Solutions. For a free subscription, go to http://web.sba.gov/list and select New SBA Solutions Newsletter.