Portland Products Acquired by West Michigan Residents

Portland Products (www.portlandproducts.com) announced that it has been acquired by West Michigan residents Ben Greve and Rick Slater. The pair are backed by Sleeping Giant Capital, a West Michigan based investment and growth platform. Portland Products is a manufacturer of mechanical assemblies for automotive and heavy truck customers utilizing robotic welding, assembly, and stamping capabilities to deliver an industry leading experience for customers.

Portland Products is an institution in the city of Portland, Michigan. Located a stone’s throw from the city park and baseball field, Portland Products has grown to 100 employees since its founding in 1947 by Walt Sprague. Through the stewardship of Walt’s children – David Sprague and Susan Dingler – along with past President Ted Alberta, Portland has maintained a close-knit culture while innovating through implementation of automation and manufacturing excellence.

“Portland Products has always been blessed with an exceptional team of talented, dedicated people. We are a family,” said Ted Alberta. “The new owner-operators, Ben Greve and Rick Slater, along with the backing of Sleeping Giant Capital, showed us that they focus on values similar to ours as defined in our PEPPS motto: People, Excellence, Performance, Professionalism, and Service. Their strategic focus on growing West Michigan companies and commitment to community support gave us great comfort. As they build upon the foundation of excellence provided by the Sprague family over the past seventy-seven years, we are excited to see how Ben and Rick can propel Portland Products to the next level!”

Greve grew up in Kalamazoo and is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Slater grew up in Holland and is a graduate of Michigan Technological University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Together, Greve and Slater have a combined 42 years of experience focused on small business manufacturing in West Michigan, bringing expertise in working in a variety of manufacturing settings ranging from small OEM’s to Tier 1 automotive suppliers.

“Rick and I are looking forward to strengthening Portland Product’s position as a premier supplier of metal stampings, hinges, and engineered mechanisms to the automotive, heavy truck and off-road markets,” said Ben Greve. Slater added, “we are also excited to set the standard for world class manufacturing in the Sleeping Giant Capital portfolio of companies.”

“We are honored to invest in Portland Products and continue their tradition of excellence and innovation,” said Doug Lepisto Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Sleeping Giant Capital. “Portland Products aligns with our Big Win investment philosophy to generate financial, social, and educational returns here in West Michigan. We are excited to unlock growth while continuing to contribute to the community of Portland.”

Courtesy photos.