Pilgrim Screw
In 1941, while World War II was raging, a small Rhode Island company was holed up in the owner’s basement making jewelry findings such as rings and earrings. As the war progressed, materials became scarce and the company was forced to make its own screws for its products. Soon, the government stepped in and started buying screws for crucial military and aerospace needs.
Privately held within the Sahakian/Grove family for 77 years, this multimillion dollar manufacturer of screws, bolts and fasteners is headquartered in Providence and led by President Geoffrey Grove. Pilgrim employs approximately 70 people and with double digit yearly sales growth, will be looking to add 20 more employees in the next few years.
To what does Grove attribute their success? Innovation and hard work. “We’re innovative because we’re willing to change. We don’t sit still and say we want to run millions of pieces of the same thing because it’s most efficient. And when we see opportunity to advance our technology, make a new product or fill a niche, we go after it,” says Grove.
Grove definitively practices what he preaches. In the 1980s, when Pilgrim’s sales declined, he moved to Arizona to be near his aerospace and military customers in order to closely collaborate with them, learn more about value added opportunities and ensure that Pilgrim could meet the high standards required within the aerospace and defense industry.
Through the efforts of a dedicated and motivated team, the company became AS9100 quality certified and opened a large branch in Arizona. Now, their screws can be found in some of the most sophisticated machinery in the world such as the Mars Rover, V-22 Osprey and Boeing 787. Pilgrim’s clients are some of the most complex and demanding in the world too, including the U.S. Military, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Cessna and Gulfstream.
Pilgrim stays successful by investing in partnerships, machinery, technology and on the job training. A large scale investment Pilgrim recently made was in collaboration with the Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Service (RIMES). Both organizations worked together to introduce lean manufacturing concepts to the workforce. In particular, 5S – a system of organization that provides the first steps toward continuous improvement. “Our partnership with RIMES and the support of Rhode Island have been crucial factors in our success,” noted Grove.
And Pilgrim’s success is extending to the local community as well. Their machinists are some of the best in the industry with decades of experience working for the company which allows them to hire local interns from schools such as the Met and Times Squared Academy so that new talent has the opportunity to gain real world skills and enter the industry.
“I want to see Pilgrim and Rhode Island continue to succeed,” says Grove. “You can have a successful manufacturing business in Rhode Island and contribute to our great quality of life at the same time. Pilgrim is growing and we’re investing in the business, our employees and state of the art technology. We’re committed to the very best in all we do.”