Nickolas Asset Management and Kreate have announced a $100 million investment in a 542,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in Tiffin, Ohio.
The investment covers the facility, machinery, infrastructure, tooling and the launch of manufacturing operations for Kreate's consumer and professional products.
Production is scheduled to begin on 1 October 2026.
Nickolas Asset Management describes itself as an evergreen, operator-led family office built around permanent capital and long-term ownership.
Automation at industrial scale
The Tiffin operation is expected to deploy 32 new ENGEL injection-moulding machines alongside pick-and-place robots, FANUC collaborative robots, autonomous guided vehicles and automated packaging.
Krevera's computer-vision AI platform is expected to connect production equipment, quality systems and factory operations.
The system is designed to identify production deviations and allow equipment to make corrections in real time.
The facility also includes substantial warehousing, rail infrastructure and on-site tool-and-die maintenance and repair.
Kreate expects the operation to create approximately 120 jobs across areas including skilled trades, manufacturing, engineering, robotics, automation, maintenance and logistics.
Permanent capital and industrial investment
The transaction is particularly relevant from a family-office perspective because it demonstrates how permanent family capital can be deployed directly into operating assets.
Rather than investing through a conventional closed-end fund, an evergreen family-office structure can take a longer-duration approach to ownership, capital expenditure and operational improvement.
Advanced manufacturing also brings together several investment themes that are increasingly interconnected: industrial capacity, automation, artificial intelligence, supply-chain resilience and skilled labour.
For families with operating backgrounds, direct industrial investment can also allow financial capital to be combined with operational expertise.
Nickolas Asset Management and Kreate announcement, 1 September 2026.