Q&A: Ricky Nietubicz of Mishimoto talks cars, bikes and trucks

Mishimoto was founded in 2003 and is now the world leader in performance cooling products for everyday driving, the racing circuit, and for bikes and trucks.

Headquartered in New Castle, it employs almost 100 people who are involved in activities from research to marketing. We talked with Ricky Nietubicz, Mishimoto’s communications head, about what’s in store for this Delaware growth company.

Q: How did Mishimoto come to be headquartered in Delaware?

Ricky Nietubicz: Delaware makes a lot of sense for any company such as Mishimoto that depends on distribution. As you know, it’s centrally located for the East Coast, with great transportation links.

Q: Are you taking a breath where you are, or are you still pushing growth?

RN: Right now, we’ve expanded to three buildings in our industrial park, and we also have a facility in Sparks, Nev. Here in Delaware, we’re also getting ready to dedicate a new East Coast warehouse. Beyond the U.S., Mishimoto is also expanding internationally, and we have facilities in the U.K. and Australia. Our products are sold around the world.

Q: How broad is your product line – or is it just automotive coolant systems?

RN: We have a very large range of automotive performance products. We started in the sports car market, then we added products for muscle cars. The diesel market has
huge opportunities, and we also have a lot of Jeep products. In addition to our specialty – coolants –
we also have performance intakes and some exhaust applications.

Q: Do you sell directly to consumers or work through distributors?

RN: We do both. A lot of our customers are DIY, but we also have a large network of distributors. Our products are stocked by most major automotive product outlets.

Q: In addition to products, do you sell services?

RN: We don’t have any services, not even installation. However, our people are on the road all the time educating installers, distributors and others about how to use our products. Many car owners like to do their own installation, and we still provide them with lifetime product guarantees, whether they install themselves or have someone else do the installation.

Q: What are you looking to for the future? Any particular plans for market expansion?

RN: One of the great things about the market we are in is that there are always new opportunities. Original equipment manufacturers are constantly updating and introducing new products. All we have to do is figure out how we can add value. ID