Niles manufacturer celebrates expansion, rebrand with ribbon-cutting ceremony

NILES CHARTER TOWNSHIP — A local manufacturer celebrated its expansion and rebrand Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Members of the Greater Niles Area Chamber of Commerce were on hand to celebrate Pratt Intermodal Chassis, a leading manufacturer of container chassis located at 2070 S 3rd St., Niles. PIC guided attendees through the 300,000 square-foot facility, where they were able to see how the chassis are manufactured and meet the employees that build them.

“What we’re celebrating today is not so much a new opening but a new beginning and a transition with our new company name and brand,” said Pratt Intermodal Chassis President Bryan Van Itallie.

The business was established in 1976 as Pratt Industries Intermodal Chassis, a father and son business in Chicago, Illinois. In December 2021, the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative acquired Pratt Industries Intermodal Chassis, which is now Pratt Intermodal Chassis LLC, or PIC. The company currently has a worldwide reputation for high-quality equipment and its chassis can be found in every major fleet in the United States.

PIC has continued to thrive and expand in Niles. Over the past two years, PIC has doubled its workforce, increased daily production rates, and modernized its factory with significant investments in automation and technology. Additionally, PIC has partnered with MMTC to provide world-class training for its employees, ensuring our team remains at the cutting edge of the industry.

“We really felt that we needed to distinguish who we were from the older brand,” Van Itallie said. “We’ve spent the last two years and several million dollars redoing a lot of what’s inside this facility bringing in new high-tech equipment, training and hiring friendly welders, assemblers and painters and trying to become the producer of superior intermodal chassis both locally and as one of the top producers in the United States. We’re really proud to be here in Niles and to be part of the Niles and South Bend movements.”

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