August 6, 2008. Meet HiTech’s new Materials Manager, Rick Wilkins. Rick started in January, in response to the need for strengthening and broadening the capabilities of our Materials management team.

“We’re pleased and fortunate to have Rick join HiTech as we take on the challenge of significant growth plans and opportunities, the introduction of new customers and aerospace programs, and the implementation of advanced planning and demand management systems,” said HiTech’s Operations Manager, Dick Reynells. “Rick’s technical competency, manufacturing and materials experience, strong interpersonal skills, and high-energy manner make for a winning combination for Rick and our entire team.”

Rick is responsible for inventory planning, production control, purchasing, materials handling, shipping, receiving, and logistics. He oversees approximately 40 employees, who he describes as exceptional. “I am lucky to have such a knowledgeable and experienced staff,” he said. “They make my job as manager that much easier.”

Rick views his department as a conduit between the customer and the plant. “The biggest challenge we face every day is meeting our customers’ needs in the most efficient way possible,” Rick said. “We are always balancing supply with demand, attempting to satisfy every customer while still maintaining production efficiencies.”

Rick’s career in manufacturing spans twenty years. He started out on the shop floor, then quickly moved into supervisory and management roles while studying for his bachelors degree full-time at night.

Prior to NHBB, Rick was Materials Manager for GT Solar in Merrimack, NH, Key Polymer in Lawrence, MA, and A. W. Chesterton in Groveland, MA. He also served as the Manufacturing Manager for A. W. Chesterton, a position he held for four of his seventeen years with the company.

Rick earned his B.S. in Business Studies with a focus in Materials Management from New Hampshire College (now SNHU). He has been certified by the American Production Inventory Control Society (APICS) for over fifteen years.

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