First Posted: 2/26/2015
ELIDA — Parts made in Elida can be found in almost every car on the road.
Orick Stamping, Inc., a tier-two automotive supplier located on Kiracofe Avenue in Elida, produces about 2 million parts in a month that are shipped internationally.
The company sends its parts to tier-one automotive companies, such as Dana Corporation, which then supply to major automotive companies, such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Chrysler.
“We take a lot of pride,” said Jay Neidert, operations manager at Orick.
Orick currently employs about 100 people in a variety of positions, including skilled workers, toolmakers, welders, engineers and maintenance workers. The company is also growing and hiring. It is accepting resumes for all positions.
When looking for employees, the company looks for people who share the philosophy of Orick and “take pride in what they do,” said Lisa Baumgardner, human resources specialist with Orick.
They also appreciate employees who are team-oriented, have positive attitudes, pay attention to detail and want to be part of the family.
“We consider everyone here family,” said Neidert, which goes back to the fact that the company is family-owned.
Paul Orick started the company in 1969 in a gas station in Gomer, and now his children own the company. Orick moved it to Elida in 1979, and since then the company has expanded, using its financial stability to grow even during the recession.
“Everyone we hire, we wish they would retire from here,” Neidert said.
Bev Whitaker, press operator and trainer at Orick, has worked at the company for the past five years and wants to keep working there.
“It’s a really nice place to work,” she said. “I like it.”
She also likes the good relationship she has with her coworkers.
“A lot of them are like family,” she said. “You get to know them, and you trust them.”
Whitaker operates one of the facility’s 25 presses, which are housed in the 110,000 square foot production and warehouse facility.
The company has grown over the years as the community has grown, Neidert said.
“In this community, we have been a good employer since 1979, and we continue to grow,” he said. “We are a global player in small town Elida.”
