About Us
Who we are
Born in Topeka, Kansas, in 1954 as Industrial Chrome Incorporated, we’ve grown into ICI Manufacturing, a leader in precision machining and manufacturing. Today, we proudly serve large and small OEMs worldwide, offering end-to-end solutions, from raw material to finished parts, with capabilities in machining, fabrication, plating, and more.
Our Story
From the very beginning ICI has always been about offering a quality product at an exceptional price, delivered on time.
1954
Humble beginnings – the start of Industrial Chrome
Kenny Paul establishes Industrial Chrome, Incorporated, operating out of an old 1880’s-era brick building. He offers one service using a single plating tank and a few other pieces of equipment.
Late 1960s
Establishing ICI
ICI purchases the land to the south of the original building and builds a new facility with a full line for plating piston shafts.
Early 1970s
Expansion of manufacturing
A second building is built and equipment is acquired to to begin manufacturing various size piston shafts from raw bars.
1990
Needham leadership fulfilled
Ellis and Naomi Needham acquires all remaining shares of ICI Manufacturing.
1997
Continuing to grow
All of the property and buildings on both sides of Madison are acquired, with some machining operations moving to the west side of the street
2010
Further expansion
Our raw materials warehouse and processing building are increased in size to contain more than 1 million pounds of materials.
2014
A boost in shipping & warehousing
We further expand our 25,000 sq. ft. Shipping and Warehousing facility, where products are cost-effectively picked, packed, and shipped in the timeliest way possible.
2019 – 2024
Consolidations and upgrades
All machining operations are consolidated on the west side of Madison, while all plating operations remain on the east side. Nearly all of our older CNC equipment is upgraded or replaced, including two new fiber lasers and three new press-brakes. We continue to upgrade our heat-treating operations. Plus, our new automated zinc plating line is the latest major capital investment in our dramatic, ongoing growth and expansion in the 21st century.
A rich history. And a bright future.
Today, 80+ dedicated professionals in ICI’s 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space produce thousands of individual parts each year for large and small OEM’s, shipping to plants worldwide.
Proudly made in America, our products are set to meet the high standards of leading companies
At ICI Manufacturing, we proudly stand as a trusted partner in crafting American products for over 70 years. Our journey is driven by a relentless commitment to exceptional quality and compassionate service upheld by our remarkable team. Together, we transform dreams into reality, wholeheartedly dedicated to our customers and community.
President, CEO
Chris Needham
Chris is the quintessential second generation of this family business. Starting with ICI in 1990, he began his career working and mentoring his way throughout the organization. Chris has worked in every department and in every area – learning the business from the bottom up from his father, Ellis. Chris spent nearly 30 years working and mentoring alongside Ellis, understanding the business, the vendors, the customers, the employees and growth opportunities. Chris has been an integral part of ICI growth story – from the small plating and machine shop with less than 20 employees to where ICI is today. Chris took over the helm in 2019 as President and has ushered in new plating, finishing, and machining technology, along with new production automation to improve quality and productivity. Chris remains committed to the core values instilled in him from Ellis; quality products, nimble and agile manufacturing and relentless focus on the customer.
Vice President
Duane Needham
Duane has over 40 years of expertise in software engineering and in the design and application of technological solutions for manufacturing, with more than 30 years in leadership and management roles – the last 15 years at ICI. Trained initially as a graphic designer, Duane began his career in the early 1980s, at a time that coincided with the introduction of personal computers and the commercialization of groundbreaking graphics software technologies such as Adobe Postscript. As the printing industry was on the cusp of a major technological revolution, Duane embraced the new wave of computer-based technology and quickly became a pioneer. He studied computer programming and developed innovative software and production solutions that leveraged the power of these rapidly emerging digital tools. Working with many organizations over the years, Duane has been a consistent driving force in guiding manufacturing businesses to greater efficiency and increasing profitability levels through the development of innovative software and the application of technology and automation. Today, Duane's most cherished title is Papa Duke. He and his wife, Donna, have been married for over 40 years, are active members of their church, and are blessed with three adult children and their spouses, and now ten grandchildren.
Manager, Quality/Shipping/Environmental
Jackie Needham
As the Quality, Shipping, Environmental, and Safety Manager, Jackie’s philosophy has been “Safety saves lives, Quality saves jobs”! Wearing many hats isn’t uncommon in a small, family-operated business, such as ICI. “It takes all of us committed to continuously producing and delivering a quality product”, and this is achieved through following our current processes, reviewing them continuously, and implementing new ones through continual improvement. Jackie was instrumental is achieving ICI’s ISO 9001-2008 certification in 2010, and is committed to ensuring adherence to the 2015 standards today. “Following our implemented processes is imperative to achieve our primary quality objectives, which is reducing rejections by 10% every six months. We’ve continued to achieve this goal because of our great employees and their commitment to quality”. Jackie received her Master’s degree in Business Management from Baker University, and she became the Quality Manager in 2000. Jackie also has a BSN from Washburn University. Prior to that, she was a consultant for ICI to improve their safety and reduce workers’ compensation injuries. As the current company RN, she continues to ensure worker safety through adherence to OSHA regulations and guidelines. Away from work, Jackie loves doing projects with her husband, spending time with their families, and golfing. Jackie is an active member in her church and her community.
Many benefits from a single manufacturing partner
With just about every process done in-house, ICI can assure you of unparalleled quality, timely shipping, and cost control you won’t find anywhere else.
