"Thank you to Nick Evenson, owner of Custom Machining Technology Inc. of Cortland, NY, for his donation of a Kent USA Surface Grinder. Bernard Williams of Newark Valley, who is a retired tool and die maker, facilitated this donation. Mr. Evenson's donation gives the students of Candor the ability to grind steel projects to within 0.0001 inches. This tool has many uses, is a welcome addition to the shop, and will give students the ability to completely finish projects to a level that was not possible in the past."
"Almost a year after opening Custom Machining Technology on Route 13, Nick Evenson is excited to grow his business with the help of his family and loans from local organizations. JIT Tool and Die, which is based in Brockport, Pa., operated in 2,500 square feet of the former Smith Corona factory, located at 839 Route 13, until Evenson bought the equipment and started his own business there October 2013.
A former senior tooling technician with BorgWarner Morse TEC’s Powdered Metal Division of Cortlandville, Evenson works with Kirk Johnson, who was an employee of JIT when it ran the shop. Evenson’s wife, Amber, and mother, Leah, also assist him at times. Amber helps with the bookkeeping, and Leah assists in the shop and with deliveries, he said. Leah Evenson said she worked in the facility when it was Smith Corona from 1967 to 1989, operating a drill press and blackening typewriter parts. “Sure seems strange (to be back in the facility) after 47 years,” she said, adding she was happy for her son when she learned he bought the shop. Evenson plans to hire two or three more employees within the next three years and would like to expand his company’s involvement in powdered metal operations, growing it from 10 to 50 percent of Custom Machining Technology’s business.
Powdered metal work involves taking a fine metal power, mixing it with a binder, and compacting it into a desired shape. Powdered metal parts are used in plumbing and in electrical appliances as well as in automotives. REVERSE ENGINEERING USED The majority of Custom Machining Technology’s work involves reverse engineering, which is making a design based upon a part then manufacturing more parts using that design. The company also uses electricdischarge machining, where Evenson and Johnson pass electricity through a part they make to burn a design into a piece of metal. During this process, the operation is covered in a nonflammable liquid to prevent sparks from igniting fires.
Evenson is grateful for two loans totaling $100,000 that his company received within the last week from local organizations. The Cortland County Business Development Corp. agreed Sept. 8 to grant Evenson’s business a $25,000 loan to be paid back over five years at 6 percent interest. The loan was contingent upon a $75,000 loan funded by the Industrial Development Agency of Broome County’s Advisory Loan Committee, which has secured federal funding it is allowed to use regionally. The Broome County loan will be paid back over five years at the fixed rate of 75 percent of the prime rate of closing, Cortland County BDC Executive Director Garry VanGorder said. Evenson still has to close on the loans but signed the commitment letters for both Monday, he said. Together, the loans will allow him to to pay off the debt he acquired in purchasing the equipment and business from JIT Tool and Die owner Robert Biemel. “That’s a relief (having the debt to Biemel paid off),” Evenson said. “You got another payment, but that’s OK; you are paying back into the business.” Having Evenson keep open a business that would have closed helps the community and is satisfying to see, VanGorder said. “Projects like this are the reason these loan funds exist, so opportunities to assist business like this are appreciated, and I think both organizations were supportive of the request,” he said." - Emmett Neno