The path Eric Wilhelm followed to assume the leadership role at KMM and contribute to the company’s growth and success has its roots in a personal narrative, entwined with his father’s immigrant story.
Karl Wilhelm, Eric’s father, co-founded KVI in 1977 after dedicating two decades of his life working as a tool and die maker for a variety of companies. As a child, Eric Wilhelm was immersed in the family business, experiencing firsthand the challenges and opportunities that come with establishing and expanding a company.
In 1994, Wilhelm officially became a part of the family business, learning invaluable lessons from his father, who was a perfectionist in his work. By 2000, Karl Wilhelm chose to step back from the day-to-day operations of the company, entrusting the KVI legacy to his son. With a strong and talented team in place, Eric Wilhelm continued to develop and grow the company to new heights.
Around 2019, Wilhelm’s discussions with John Shegda, a potential business collaborator, gained momentum and eventually led to the decision to merge their respective companies. The result was the formation of the KMM Group Ltd. This partnership brought together a wealth of experience and knowledge, setting the stage for KMM’s future success.
“The most significant risk I took was when John Shegda and I decided to merge our companies,” Wilhelm said. “It wasn’t just about the financial or market implications; it was largely about our people and our teams. These were individuals we deeply respected and cared about. Our fathers had given us great wisdom in handling people, in coaching them, yet this was a new chapter.
“We’d both grappled with aligning our individual organizations, so the prospect of bringing together two cultures was daunting … I was apprehensive, worrying that our teams might react negatively, perceiving it as a threat to job security. Mergers often signal cuts and layoffs, so I was concerned about this potential misunderstanding. Yet, we believed in the power of transparency and clarity. We explained why we were doing this, where we were coming from and what we saw in the market. Our merger wasn’t about reducing costs but about combining two remarkable organizations to create more opportunities.
“Looking back, it was a risk worth taking, and I’m glad we took it. It wasn’t just a corporate merger; it was a merger of cultures, ideas, and people, all striving toward a shared vision. It’s a testament that sometimes the most significant risks lead to the most rewarding outcomes.”
KMM’s skills in manufacturing engineering, design for manufacturability, process design and assembling intricate components with micron- range clearances provided them with a significant advantage in the market. Today, as a second- generation owner and president, Wilhelm takes pride in carrying forward his father’s vision and commitment to excellence.
Wilhelm and his team have transformed a 100,000-square-foot outdated building into a modern manufacturing hub, designed to support their manufacturing skill sets in engineering, complex machining, EDM and grinding. KMM is committed to aggressive hiring throughout 2023 and beyond, as the company expands.
