Company Fast Facts

Steady growth, one machine at a time

Permac Industries started in 1966 as a 7,000 square-foot screw machine job shop in Bloomington, Minn. Since then, parts have become complex, materials more exotic, and machines more sophisticated.

President and CEO Darlene M. Miller assumed ownership in 1994, making Permac a 100 percent woman-owned business. Throughout the 1990s and 2000 she augmented the company’s original slate of Brown & Sharpe single spindle screw machine equipment, adding a Gridley six-spindle screw machine, CNC lathes with live tooling and sub-spindles, and 13 axis twin spindle/multiple turret turning centers along with Swiss machines.

Under her leadership, the company has exponentially increased revenues, physical space and capacity. In October of 1998, Permac moved to its current headquarters in Burnsville, Minn., with 17,000 square feet of air-conditioned space. In 2007, the company doubled capacity and space to 34,000 square feet, while adding seven new pieces of equipment. Permac achieved ISO 9000 certification in 2008.

Making Minnesota Valley medical device history

Darlene has worked to spur growth in the medical device niche, a significant sector in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. In 2006 she co-founded the Minnesota Valley Medical Manufacturers Network (MedNet), an organization that draws together all entities – including manufacturing companies, banks, employment agencies, and technical writers - interested in building relationships that benefit medical device companies. Darlene’s involvement has generated new business for Permac and other companies as well.

Permac Fast Facts

• Permac serves hydraulics, off-road equipment, food and beverage, avionics, medical technology, and various other industries.
• Darlene M. Miller is an owner who learned the business from the inside out. She began working for Permac as a sales rep in August 1992 and quickly rose through the ranks, gaining overall sales and day-to-day operational responsibility.
• Permac is a certified, woman-owned business
• Permac runs two 10-hour shifts, with some machines running “lights out:” They’re loaded and checked before staff leaves and run continuously
• Permac prides itself on being a “green” manufacturer: The company uses water-soluble cleaning supplies, recycles machining oil and doesn’t create hazardous waste
• Permac takes pride in its clean shop – customers over the years have marveled at Permac’s commitment to orderliness and organization.