Senator Collins Visits Nichols Portland
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South Portland, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Nichols Portland, a global manufacturer of powdered metal and steel components and complete pump assemblies, to tour the facility and speak with employees.
Nichols became the world’s first mass manufacturer of gerotor pumps in the late 1920s, and it is the world's largest single manufacturer of gerotors today. Gerotors and gerotor pumps are used in everything from cars to a wide range of industrial applications. In September 2019, Nichols Portland opened a new facility for the Pump Division. The newly renovated 20,000 square-foot facility in South Portland houses an extensive laboratory for hydraulic testing, niche pump manufacturing, and office space for the Pump Division.
“Over the past century, Nichols Portland has grown from a small machine shop to the world’s largest producer of gerotors thanks to the work ethic, determination, and pioneering spirit of its employees. These pumps, which are used in automobiles and a wide range of industrial applications, power our economy,” said Senator Collins. “The coronavirus pandemic has caused great disruption to our society, especially to Maine’s small businesses, which make up nearly 60 percent of our state’s workforce. The Paycheck Protection Program I co-authored has supported more than 300 jobs at Nichols and has helped keep this Maine manufacturer strong. I enjoyed speaking with employees at Nichols’ new state-of-the art facility this morning.”
Nichols received a forgivable loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was co-authored by Senator Collins. Without the PPP, it was very likely that the company that employs approximately 325 people located in two facilities would have had to reduce its workforce by nearly half. Since its launch in early April, more than 28,000 Maine small businesses and self-employed individuals have received nearly $2.3 billion in forgivable loans, which helping to support approximately 240,000 jobs throughout the state.
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