Q&Q With NW Stamping & Precision

We’re excited to feature Charo Miller, HR at Northwest Stamping & Precision, a company that has been a cornerstone of the Eugene manufacturing landscape since the 1960s. With a commitment to employee well-being and work/life balance, Charo shares how this local business supports its team and the surrounding community. From innovative projects in the electric vehicle market to producing crucial components for the medical and aviation industries, get an inside look at how they’re not just growing jobs but also shaping industries on a global scale—one unique project at a time.

How long have you been in business and what drives you to serve our community?

Northwest Stamping, Inc. is the umbrella for three small engineering, design, and manufacturing companies: Northwest Stamping & Precision, Rosen Sunvisor Systems, and Cascade Composites. Northwest Stamping was founded here in 1965 and was primarily a tool and die shop building tooling. Stamping capabilities were added in 1969, and then in 1992, our current owner purchased the Company and kicked off a longer yet rapid period of growth, including the addition of machining capabilities, the addition of a prototype development department and the achieved ISO Certification in 1994. Finally, Northwest Stamping & Precision was named in 1998 to reflect our global position as a supplier of high-volume precision stamping and machined parts.

We are driven to serve the community on many levels. For Eugene to contain manufacturing performed at this level of quality and precision is incredibly important, together we support roughly 75 full-time jobs with great benefits. We provide manufacturing, shipping, engineering, design and quality control careers that have begun to be sent to other countries, when in fact, we’ve shown how they can successfully be kept locally and flourish, even through tough economic times. It’s important that we can provide this type of work for those graduating from engineering and technical colleges, as well as provide opportunities to train and mentor new workers within these trades.

We also define the work-life balance to support bringing more people back into manufacturing. First, we remain locally owned and operated by people who live and are active in the community. Second, our employees genuinely care about what they do and produce; they take great pride in their work. Third, we offer one of the best company cultures to be a part of, by 4:30 pm less than 5% of our workforce are still in the building, and weekend work is extremely rare, even at our busiest. Happy employees are also more fulfilled residents who are more likely to participate in and give back to their communities. 

Are there new programs or initiatives you are investing in or providing for our community?

Our Salesforce and Engineering and Design teams are constantly on the hunt to design and produce the “Next Thing,” and we are fortunate to have the talent to meet these challenges. Our three small companies pack a big punch and affect the aviation transportation industry in a way that few small businesses could hope for. One industry we are keeping an eye on and excited for growth is the electric vehicle charging market. More EVs will hit the road, and there will be a higher demand for die-stamped parts used in EVs, such as battery enclosures, chassis components, and electrical housing. As the market expands more, Eugene will be encouraged to purchase electric vehicles, which will reduce pollution, align with our city’s green initiatives, and create new job opportunities to service and support the growing market.

What is it about Eugene/Springfield that you enjoy the most or what do you enjoy most about what you do?

Outside of the work done with local Oregon aircraft manufacturers such as Epic, Vans, and Precision, Rosen Sunvisors design and manufacture specialty pieces for over 48 different types of civilian aircraft, RV’s, boats, First Response Vehicles, Heavy Equipment, and for military transportation such as the Civil Air Patrol. Oregon has a growing, thriving aviation industry. From a manufacturing standpoint, our aluminum parts incorporate several metalworking and machining companies in the area. From a product standpoint, many/most of the jets and airplanes that fly into our Eugene and other local airports are protected by Rosen visors. 

Because we are making precision parts for medical devices used in the heart and respiration, parts that allow local window makers to compete nationally by building unbeatable frames, and a multitude of aviation partners, we can keep jobs in Eugene and Springfield and know that tiny parts from our two cities are making people and machines all over the world run well. This is what our employees love about what they do and it’s part of what gives them so much pride; in the quality of their work. 

Has any business become an unexpected companion/partner? Or tell us about some of the partnerships or success stories you may have with area businesses.

Northwest Stamping manufactures parts that have influenced our community in the most precise ways; that pacemaker your grandma wears, we made components to keep the charge, the Lasik surgery your sister planned, we manufactured the needles for the operation. Your remodel that has been going on for far too long, we manufacture the components in multimeters to ensure that the electrical current is on or off. Cascade Composites makes insulated foam inserts for manhole covers which reduces public works costs. They also manufacture many of the parts used by Rosen and Northwest Stamping production, along with several other high-quality products from a diverse range of industries including aerospace, medical, automotive, transportation, firearms, and more. Rosen, the industry leader for Sun Attenuation in the aircraft industry has set its sights on doing the same for the rest of the transportation industry (trains, trucks, and high-end adventure vehicles), which will create rich growth opportunities.

How has your collaboration with the Chamber impacted your business or how can the business community engage with you?

Collaborating with the Chamber might seem a little difficult for a business that rarely sees walk-in customers like a retail shop or restaurant might, however many of our parts have such an impact on our community members and are likely used by those other businesses in one way or another. It’s very important for the rest of the world to know that Eugene and Springfield still does so much highly skilled manufacturing. We would also like to see additional programs for training those interested in learning trades. It is still becoming harder and harder to find skilled tradespeople.