Hancock, ME – R.E. Thomas Marine Hardware, a world class manufacturer of marine driveline components and boat accessories, is excited to introduce new owners Kendra and John Ray.
The Ray’s, who have in a home in Gouldsboro, ME, have significant experience in high-end precision manufacturing and look forward to carrying on the exceptional service and commitment to quality that R.E. Thomas is known for.
“This has been a dream of ours for many years.”, says new owner John Ray, who fell in love with the Maine Coast as a young child visiting with his parents. “We’ve been very blessed in our existing business manufacturing components for the aerospace industry, but R.E. Thomas is a completely different opportunity for us. Not only does the company have its own highly regarded product line, but you get to meet and interact with the end user. You just don’t get that connection when dealing with larger corporations and government contracts.”
Previous owner Ben Dinsmore, general manager Mike Newbert, Jr., and the rest of the R.E. Thomas team will remain with the company. Dinsmore will be transitioning to a business development role, while Newbert will continue with customer facing day to day operations.
The company’s close ties with Maine’s commercial fishing industry are not lost on the Rays.
“Fishermen depend on our products for their livelihood.”, says Kendra Ray. “If a fisherman walks through our door and needs a new part, we’re going to shut down production and do everything in our power to get them back up and running.”
The philosophy of “fishermen first” is a legacy of company founder, and namesake, Ron Thomas.
“Ron Thomas was an incredible machinist, and an even more incredible person”, says Dinsmore. “Not a day goes by at the shop that I don’t marvel at one of his product designs or hear a customer’s heartfelt anecdote about an interaction with him.”
With more than 5 years at the helm, Dinsmore, a former commercial ship captain, began looking to transition the company, but he wasn’t about to sell it to just anyone.
“I first met John and Kendra two years ago when they stopped by the shop and introduced themselves.”, says Dinsmore. “They had just bought a home in Gouldsboro, ME [20 minutes down the coast from the shop] and were looking for opportunities to expand their existing manufacturing business.”
Dinsmore had planned to list the company for sale in the Fall of 2022, but he remembered his chance meeting with the Rays the year prior and figured it was worth having a conversation with them first.
A deal came together very quickly, and after visiting the Ray’s employees at their facility in Bridgeport, CT, Dinsmore knew he had found the perfect buyers. The sale was finalized at the end of February.
They Ray’s didn’t waste any time getting to work. Their first week found them manning the booth at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, ME where they met face to face with many of their new customers.
“Customers kept comping up to us and telling us how great our products are.”, says Kendra. “At that point we had owned the company for three days and I was already fielding questions about our products. Before I could answer one gentleman’s question, one of our longtime customers chimed in from the next booth over explaining how happy he was after upgrading to a new R.E. Thomas shaft seal. It was fantastic.”
There’s no greater proving ground for heavy duty marine hardware than the rugged coast of Downeast Maine, and the Rays are looking forward to extending R.E. Thomas’s reach to other boating markets throughout the United States and beyond while still holding true to the company’s Maine roots.
