My Experience Working at Harvey Performance Company as a CNC Production Tool Maker

Are you considering applying for a role at Harvey Performance Company? If so, I know how difficult it can be to leave one position and cultivate a new path. However, I’d like to share with you my experience working at Harvey Performance Company, as it’s truly been advantageous and rewarding.

My Background

My name is Brian McLean, and I currently work at Harvey Performance Company as a member of the Helical Solutions Technical Team. Prior to joining Harvey Performance Company, though, I had always worked with my hands, mechanically, in different industries. In my younger years I worked on automobiles and boats, primarily, while also serving as an electrical apprentice. After some years had passed, I was looking for a new career within a stable industry that I could grow in. I found a starting position in a decent size machine shop in Maine. In this entry level position, I would learn to use CNC machines to remanufacture carbide end mills. With my mechanical skills and keen attention to detail, I was very successful at this new type of work. I really enjoyed the technical and mechanical aspects of machining and the geometry on the end mills. It was challenging at times and kept me interested in learning more.

Getting Started with Helical Solutions

After three years of learning the ropes in this new industry, I took my experience and skills in machining and applied for a CNC position at the tooling manufacturer Helical Solutions, which I was thrilled to get!

This opportunity was amazing. Helical was a smaller company, at the time, but we grew substantially each year, and I was able to grow as a tool maker with them. Starting with reconditioning end mills, I advanced into manufacturing new end mills. This advancement tested my skills and made me strive for excellence. I worked side-by-side with talented colleagues, running multiple machines and learning new skills, each day. The company was always willing to train and put the time into helping others. Opportunities for growth and advancement presented themselves, which gave me goals to strive for throughout the years. The employees I worked alongside were very welcoming and knowledgeable.

In the Helical CNC Department, we use advanced 5-Axis CNC Grinding Machines to manufacture tooling. As CNC Tool Grinders, we are trained for many months, starting out with learning end mill and overall tooling geometry. The many years of end mill grinding knowledge is passed down through training, one-on-one. We follow in-depth specification sheets with tight tolerances. The inspection department uses high powered equipment and spends many hours checking specifications and making sure everything looks correct for the specific job.

The Impact of Harvey Performance Company

In 2017, Helical Solutions was purchased by Harvey Performance Company. At the time, I remember that there were a lot of nerves around this, as could be expected. But I quickly learned that Harvey Performance Company would help take Helical Solutions to the next level.

Shortly after acquiring Helical, Harvey Performance Company added many more CNC Machines with advanced robotic arms for loading and unloading tooling. Standardization methods and procedures have greatly streamlined production and quality on the shop floor. After just a few years under the Harvey Performance Company umbrella, Helical grew so rapidly that a new manufacturing facility was needed to keep up with demand, and the company broke ground on a 79,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art facility.

Today, the new building greatly enhances the production and flow of making new end mills, maintaining our in-stock status and same-day shipping options for all catalog items. The R&D department helps to accelerate new product growth by running on-site testing of our tooling, and the administration works hard as a team with special attention to production needs and is met daily with checks and balances.  They work closely and listen to all their colleagues, always striving to grow the company and the employees, making improvements throughout the years.

Times have changed at Helical Solutions, but the inviting atmosphere that I experienced when I first started here, remains. It helps to create a close relationship between all employees and makes Harvey Performance Company a desired place to start a career.  Reliability and being consistent are some of the many attributes in the Gorham plant, and these go hand in hand each day, driving the success of the Helical product. The amount of hard work and effort to give the customers the best product available has never wavered. The undisputable integrity is what makes Helical Solutions the best.

My Advice to Prospective Applicants

Overall, the abundance of support I have received from Harvey Performance Company has driven my success. To be in an ever-expanding industry and company is very exciting, as there are always potential doors opening to further advance my career. The company has always been there for me, and I will for them. It’s been a great relationship throughout the years.

If you are looking to maintain a steady career, my advice is to opt to grow with Harvey Performance Company. You’ll be proud to work for our reputable manufacturing team, every day.