With more than 92 years of experience in the foundry industry, the company has the technology and creativity to compete in today’s market, as well as the history and expertise to deliver flawless production outcomes to its clients. Serving loyal customers in the military, medical, robotics, power generation, and many other private and commercial sectors, Boose has continually nurtured those relationships by delivering only the highest-quality castings paired with unrivaled customer service.

The company is also particularly proud of the implementation of its automatic green sand molding line. “Since 1933, we have utilized manual machines in our green sand molding process,” says Justin Sweigart, Director of Business Development.

Progressively over the years, it became more and more difficult to locate and hire skilled labor with a strong manual work ethic, Sweigart adds, and with retirements of long-term employees on the rise, an investment in a more automated solution was made in 2021 with the purchase of an automatic Hunter molding machine.

“Prior to taking receipt of the new machine, Boose had a devastating fire, which forced us to re-evaluate the layout of the manufacturing facility,” Sweigart explains. Consequently, the decision was made to decommission a larger, more inefficient machine and reutilize the space for the new Hunter and existing manual machines. “Boose Aluminum still has the capabilities to manufacture products off of original manual molding equipment, but now has the ability to produce low- to medium-volume orders more efficiently at competitive costs on our automated molding line.”

The company is also proud of its in-house heat treating services. Under stress, untreated aluminum components may break, deform, or distort. Compared to materials like steel, aluminum is a relatively soft and pliable metal. Nonetheless, it’s a highly sought-after material in dozens of industries due to its light weight and resistance to corrosion. While there are many different types of heat treatments, they all entail heating and straining metal parts to encourage greater strength and appropriate shape.

For generations, Boose has gained the expertise of heat treating aluminum. Without the heat treatment process, the properties and dimensions of the aluminum castings would take 55 years to naturally stabilize. These days, a wide variety of heat treatment techniques and procedures are distinguished and defined by the T system of classification. Every technique has advantages and disadvantages for the final output.

One of the most used heat treatments for aluminum is T6. The first step of this process “Solution heat treatment,” heats the castings to a little below aluminum’s melting point (1,221°F/660.3°C) for a period of 8 to 12 hours, and melts any alloy constituents in the casting. Strength and support are provided by the homogenizing and redistribution throughout the casting.

Next, the castings are rapidly quenched and chilled, with the microstructure that develops during the solid solution phase being solidified by the quenching. The quick cooling also makes the casting considerably stronger.

The castings are then artificially aged in an aluminum heat treat oven following quenching. During this phase, they are baked at a temperature close to 310°F/154°C, far below aluminum’s melting point. The alloying ingredients can create chemical bonds within the casting during this aging process, reinforcing and strengthening the item. Baking the product speeds up the natural process of aluminum age hardening.

Between the solution and aging process, straightening and quality control procedures may also be carried out to guarantee that the casting’s shape and form will satisfy all requirements.

Another common heat treat process that is performed at Boose Aluminum is a T51, or solely an “Artificial Aging” cycle. During this single step process, the castings are heated in an oven between 300 and 400 degrees for an extended period of time. This process is an excellent option for dimensional stability in castings that are highly complex in design, or when close tolerances are required.

Boose also performs radiography testing, sometimes known as X-ray testing, a nondestructive testing technique that looks into parts’ internal structures using X-rays. Without causing damage or changing the object, the process allows the team to identify internal irregularities such as shrinkage, voids, inclusions, or porosity. The company employs radiographic testing as a quality assurance checkpoint during the sampling process of new products, or when required by the customer to conform to quality specifications during production runs.

What can radiography assist with? Internal defect detection can identify internal casting flaws that reduce strength, while decreased failure risk identifies discontinuities early on to help avoid problems like cracking, leakage, and in-field part failures. Finally, radiography helps boost cost-effective quality control to avoid machining defective castings or scrapping finished parts. In short, radiography ensures only good castings advance through production.

Boose Aluminum supports industrial companies that require high-integrity aluminum castings, providing services typically used by defense contractors, heavy machinery manufacturers, medical industries, pump, valve, and fluid handling manufacturers, and utilities and infrastructure contractors—customers that often operate in high-pressure environments where failure is not an option. Radiographic inspection guarantees that the company’s parts fulfill their standards and needs.

Another value added quality assurance service Boose Aluminum offers is liquid penetrant inspection (LPI). When required, the in-house LPI process inspects the castings for surface flaws including porosity, laps, and fractures before it leaves the foundry. Undetected, these defects could lead to machining defects, leak paths, or casting failures.

Boose Aluminum also offers casting dimensional inspection and layout services to give engineers, quality managers, and production teams the assurance that castings are checked against the highest standards, whether it’s a First Article Inspection (FAI) or a production requirement. Before parts are put into production, these services, which are supported by skilled specialists, make sure they fulfill important requirements.

Although Boose Aluminum Foundry has faced its share of transitions and challenges, resolutions include the implementation and enforcement of SOPs, a new ERP system, and automated processes, says Sweigart. “We’re currently in the process of implementing a new no-bake sand reclamation system, along with additional sand storage capacity,” he adds. “This will provide additional sand capacity to support future growth in our no-bake molding operations.”

While there are numerous qualities that help set Boose apart within the industry, Sweigart emphasizes the importance of the company’s ability to provide clients with everything they need all under one roof.

“Boose Aluminum is very diverse in the capabilities we offer,” he says. “With production weights ranging from less than one pound to 800 pounds, volumes from one to thousands of parts, and quality ranges from commercial grade to military standards requiring X-ray and liquid dye penetrant inspections, Boose Aluminum is a one-stop shop for all your casting supply needs.”

The post Providing Diverse Capabilities in a One-Stop Shop<p class="company">Boose Aluminum Foundry</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“If you have a heavy duty welding gun, if you control the heat and don’t get affected by it, now you can control the parameters, the weld quality, and the speeds,” explains Sales Manager Steve Moerke, a third generation Moerke and part owner of the family business. “Now you have no downtime and no problems. You remove all of that and it’s unbelievable,” he says.

Able to be integrated with all robotic manufacturers’ equipment and capable of handling jobs of a variety of materials and sizes, D/F Machine Specialties^® is one of the best kept secrets in the welding world—and we’re about to blow its cover.

Family business
So much more than the welding guns and consumables it manufactures, D/F Machine Specialties^® is innovative to the core, and this has been the case since it was founded in the late 1960s to improve output and performance by addressing some of the sector’s greatest pain points.

Founder Del Moerke Sr. was a member of the Airco (Air Reduction Sales Co. of New York) development team responsible for developing a new welding process known as MIG (metal inert gas) welding, a process that proved faster than conventional TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding, and achieved temperatures required to effectively weld aluminum. As part of his role, Del Sr. travelled the country installing equipment and educating new users on the innovative approach. In the process, he had the opportunity to encounter a variety of welding guns, most of which would experience regular failures requiring service and resulting in costly downtime. It inspired him to craft something better.

While on the road, he came up with a design for a MIG pistol welding gun that was fully water-cooled. Patented in 1968, the D/F pistol gun became something of an overnight success. Unlike the competition, which could only last for 15 minutes of steady welding before requiring costly maintenance shutdowns, the gun just kept on running and did so for three shifts a day, seven days a week. The performance was unheard of.

This was the genesis of D/F Machine Specialties^®. Operated by Del Sr. and his wife Fern, from whom the company’s initials and brand were derived, and their children Del Jr., Wayne, Beverly, and Karen, the company operated out of the basement of the family home until 1970, at which point D/F incorporated and moved to its first official location in Lombard, Illinois.

Family was pivotal to the company’s success and in 1978, as the company and the family outgrew the Lombard facility, the decision was made to relocate to its current 14,000-square-foot facility in North Mankato, Minnesota. Here, the company’s capacity grew and so did demand.

A new era
The introduction of robotic welding in the mid-1980s was a new opportunity for the brand to shine. True to form, Del Sr. identified a shortcoming in robotic welders (they required a two-hour shutdown for maintenance due to torch failure, a labor-intensive process that requires running utility lines into the gun for gas and water; the welding wire also had to be stripped down for a new gun to be re-harnessed and re-positioned) and responded with a viable, long-term solution.

Enter the new water-cooled robotic welding gun which consisted of a patented and trademarked docking spool and posit ring that conveniently snaps into the wrist of the robot for instant positioning to resume the weld. Instead of two hours, the entire process takes 45 seconds, and the innovation even translated over to automated machines.

Where hard automation is concerned, particularly instances with high deposition and large wire diameters that require preheating and high amperages, D/F’s heavy duty water-cooled weld automation torch is the gold standard and many of these original guns are still in production today, found on automatic and robotic cells worldwide.

“The welding gun is our best salesman,” notes Moerke, which is why he empowers potential customers to trial the equipment to ensure that it meets the needs of their application. “We are so confident that the D/F Water-Cooled to the Tip welding guns are the best welding guns in the world, that we will gladly run demos and trials with customers and prove why they should be using the D/F welding guns. The good news is when they find us, we have never lost a demo.”

New leadership, same commitment
At a time when the industry has experienced a great deal of consolidation, D/F Machine Specialties remains independent and family owned. In 2008, after years of trying, Del Jr. and Steve, his son, assumed ownership of the company and continue to forge ahead with a unified vision for the future, dedicated to supporting and advancing the heavy duty welding sector as well as the family legacy. Laura Moerke (aka Laura Christopherson) is the company’s Account Administrator and handles all invoicing, bill paying, accounting and legal matters, inside sales, human resources, insurance, customer service, ordering of raw materials and supplies, marketing, and IT.

“We attend tradeshows together as a family,” explains Steve Moerke. “Laura, Del, and I staff the booth and we actually bring family with us to watch the kids in the hotels while we work. My mother and Laura’s have both worked the D/F booth at Fabtech over the years,” he shares. “It takes a family to run a family business!”

This kind of support enables the team to “under-promise and over-deliver” in a sector where the competition rates their welding guns at 60 percent duty cycles. D/F Machine Specialties^® knows that its equipment can be pushed to the maximum and continues to strive for perfection.

“We excel in the 100 percent duty cycle jobs; heavy duty, high heat, pulse welding, water-cooled, high amperage, and will still remain cold to the touch, even if it is pushed all day long, three shifts a day, seven days a week, with only one contact tip per shift,” says Moerke.

D/F is the only manufacturer in the U.S. that has both 1000-amp MIG and TIG torches that can run ¼” aluminum wire for MIG welding and ⅜” diameter tungsten for the TIG process. While the company gets plenty of calls for the 1000-amp iterations, playfully referred to as the “Big Mig” and the “Big Tig,” the reality is that very few people welding ever get above 650 amps.

“We have to explain to customers you do not need a 1000-amp welding gun; you just need a welding gun that stays cold below 650 amps. Luckily for us, the competition fails above 400 amps, and this is where we shine,” says Moerke. “We have been able to do 95 percent of all jobs with our standard series of trademarked water-cooled to the tip welding guns.”

A lifelong member of the AWS (American Welding Society) and GAWDA (Gases and Welding Distributors Association), D/F Machine Specialties^® takes great pride in the fact that its equipment isn’t disposable as so many others are in the market. Instead of high-temperature plastic components, D/F welding guns are built differently.

“We not only build the guns more robustly—use copper instead of plastic, braze them together—but we also receive the gas, water, and power differently. This all enables D/F to control the heat and remain cold while welding,” explains Moerke, and this allows for better control of the weld quality, speed, and performance without the added cost.

In fact, the equipment typically costs less than the competition and often pays for itself in a matter of six months to a year, mitigating torch failures and reducing consumable usage, downtime, and rework in the process.

A legacy in action
When speaking about the company’s history and evolution, the contribution of the extended family cannot be overstated. For Moerke, from the outset “family members were personally invested in the business’s success, resulting in a dedicated workforce and a willingness to make sacrifices or go the extra mile for the business and for the customer.”

With no outside sales force, the company has grown strictly on word of mouth and reputation, which is founded on a superior product and unmatched customer service built on trust and loyalty. This, however, can be a double-edged sword, making D/F Machine Specialties^® a victim of its own success.

“If you were a welding distributor, would you want to sell the welding guns that have to be replaced every two months and use a tip every 40 minutes, or would you want to sell the welding guns that last for years and years, only use one tip every one to two days (on the hardest jobs in the world), and reduces cost, downtime, and rework seven to one on average? We are our own worst enemy because our guns are too good and our consumables last too long,” jokes Moerke.

Like the welding guns, torches, and consumables it manufactures, the standard of service delivery at D/F Machine Specialties^® is also second to none. Everything is manufactured in-house with intention behind it, and decades of expertise makes the company a true partner on the most difficult jobs where extreme conditions, long duty cycles, high heat and amperage, and other contingencies are present.

“This is where we excel. Give us a chance to run a demo on your worst job and make it go away,” says Moerke of D/F’s ability to improve weld quality, reduce downtime, and save money over the long term. “Customers can’t believe the D/F difference. If we can fit the D/F gun into the job, there really is no comparison,” something Moerke and his team are happy to prove time and time again.

The post Where Welding Innovation Runs in the Family<p class="company">D/F Machine Specialties®</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Fully certified to ISO 9001standards, the company relies on robust processes, from organizational structure to quality reporting and customer engagement, to drive consistent, mutually successful outcomes.

Overlanders Manufacturing has been active in Western Canada since the late 1970s, but over the last 18 to 24 months, much of the company’s capabilities have seen considerable in-house upgrades. For example, the team has rolled out new advanced laser automation capabilities, including the AI-powered and Industry 4.0-ready Prima Power Laser Genius+ laser cutter with additional parts-stacking robot—the company’s biggest capital purchase in several years.

Recently, Overlanders upgraded its Abbotsford facilities and now has the capacity to house pieces as large as the new Prima cutter, which takes up a large part of the building. The company has also expanded and created more dedicated space for assembly lines, including a dedicated assembly line that moves beyond simply bending, cutting, and painting metal. New robotics incorporated into the bending process further the company’s goal of weaving automation throughout its processes and allow a single operator to run several machines at once with greater accuracy.

When it comes to automation and technology, these are catch-all terms that Plant Manager Adam Stephenson believes should not be thrown around casually. Instead, Overlanders Manufacturing has always kept its finger on the pulse of the technology making waves in its field and how it can be employed to enhance the company’s capabilities. “It’s not just about replacing a machine but about increasing capability,” he says. This process is highly methodical by nature, but Stephenson explains that the Overlanders team subscribes to the mentality of seeing a business as a journey. While some companies are very goal-oriented, Overlanders Manufacturing will never be at a final ‘perfect’ state and is always looking to improve itself, which keeps everyone involved hungry and searching for better ways to serve clients.

The company also stays abreast of the latest best practices in safety and incorporates them into its processes. Even though Overlanders Manufacturing has been around for nearly a half century, Stephenson says that leadership is always interrogating itself and exploring how to best provide top customer service while balancing safety and efficiency, often while syncing its systems with those of its customers and considering client satisfaction through that lens. Since the company’s work can be found in a variety of industries including energy, medical, construction, transportation, and more, safe and reliable practices are paramount to its continued success.

Overlanders Manufacturing has proudly been part of the Exchange Income Corporation (EIC) family for quite some time, having been acquired in 2006, and EIC has been a fundamental part of why it has stayed ahead in the industry. The business is also an active collaborator with its fellow EIC-owned companies, including BC-based machine shop Hansen Industries, learning and sharing from one another’s processes. Hansen has become a close partner, as both companies share overlapping capabilities and benefit from one another’s capacity. There is much work that can be done within this partnership, says Stephenson, to optimize output and deliver greater capabilities and flexibility to customers.

He explains that such collaborations can take a number of forms, such as working with the Manufacturing Safety Alliance (MSA) on safety presentations and training. Industry learning is a big part of a typical year, with an example being factory tours Overlanders recently attended in October as part of a presentation for the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce’s annual manufacturing industry tour through the area. Events like these are part of the company’s strong local presence, as is its participation in the MSA’s Make It Safe conference, also in October.

Certainly, this has been a busy year for Overlanders Manufacturing judging by the volume of customer demand, and this has led to a strong bottom line as the year draws to a close, despite ongoing market turmoil. As well as the ability to effectively support clients in both Canada and the United States, the company has also been able to extract information on customer needs to regarding shipping internationally, which has had its own difficulties this year. With many challenges in the current market, the team aims to be flexible, always looking for new opportunities. “We are able to adapt our process to what people need, even during challenging times,” says Stephenson.

Looking ahead to a new year, he says that the company will be spending a lot of its time determining how to increase both its capacity and efficiency. This is Overlanders Manufacturing’s biggest goal and will prove the strength of its lead times. There are also big plans to optimize the company’s existing systems and expand equipment in the areas where it has been most successful in order to align with that growth. Customers are eagerly continuing to order, so the company wants to make sure that it has the right equipment to deliver, as well as the right people in its workforce to achieve these goals.

The team has grown quite a bit—including Adam Stephenson’s joining—in the past year, and he believes this growth will continue based on the company’s overall strength across 2025. “The biggest driver of success is continuing to be a leader in what we do,” he says, and quality is one of the reasons people choose Overlanders Manufacturing time and time again.

Having been around for so long, Overlanders Manufacturing has robust processes and core tools in place that give customers the assurance and peace of mind they need. The team has also since spent its tenure establishing itself in its local community of Abbotsford and the greater Vancouver area. This can be seen in its social media presence as the business openly celebrates both the cultural diversity of the area it calls home as well as the many people who make up its proud and capable workforce.

There is no doubt that 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting time for Overlanders Manufacturing. Continuing to promote the strengths of its approach to customer relationships and industry partnerships, this team has been able to keep busy and work hard through challenging situations. At the same time, it stands out in the minds and memories of customers, peers, and the people who make it work every day.

The post A Leader in Metal Fabrication<p class="company">Overlanders Manufacturing</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“Sunnen has been in business for 100 years, and I think the reason for that is our consistent quality,” states Business Development Manager, Dan Conner. “A lot of it is also the technical support we provide with our products; I think that really makes a difference as far as buying from us. We are always trying to improve our products to ensure the quality is there,” he continues. “Our products will last. We have a lot of customers that have been using their particular machines for 30 to 40 years, and they’re still using those machines today.”

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the company (pronounced “Son-in”) makes honing, lapping, deep hole drilling, skiving, and roller burnishing machines. Honing is an ultra-precision bore machining process prized by quality-minded manufacturers and job shoppers when making high-end components. Used to finish and polish bores, tighten tolerances, and remove stock, honing is central to Sunnen’s mission. “We have always just tried to focus on the honing market. I think a lot of other companies try to diversify and go into other products,” Conner notes.

By emphasizing honing above all, Sunnen has been able to perfect its craft and “meet tolerances on specifications that were once very unrealistic as far as machining went,” he adds.

The company offers a full lineup of horizontal, vertical, single-stroke, and tube-honing machines, plus machine automation solutions. Training, tooling, repairs, abrasives, gages, oils, and coolant are also available. Sunnen’s main sectors served include automotive, medical, firearms and defense, aerospace, energy, general machining/job shops, and diesel engines.

Sunnen maintains an advanced technology center which houses current and legacy machines as well as other equipment, while technicians in the center perform in-house testing and application work for customers who send in parts. Staff can also offer demonstrations and provide in-house training for clients or take calls from concerned customers to walk them through various issues.

“Maybe you’re trying a different material, and you need a recommendation for different abrasives—you can call in,” says Conner. “We have someone on that line every day, five days a week, and they can help you with your application.”

Alternately, Sunnen technicians can travel to a customer’s worksite to assist with machine installations, provide training, or sort out application woes. Such thorough client support is vital, as “honing is a little more specific, a bit more of a unique process,” compared with other types of machining, he adds.

While manufacturing operations are centered in St. Louis and Mexico, the company is able to tap into a global talent pool for technical and engineering support on complex projects, he adds.

Having an international subsidiary network was not likely on Joe Sunnen’s mind back in 1924 when he founded the company that bears his name. In his early 20s at the time, Joe had invented and patented a valve lifter tool but lacked the funds to set up a brick-and-mortar site to make and sell the product. So, he drove around the St. Louis area and sold the product directly at job shops and garages. Clients were impressed, and eventually, a permanent location was established. Joe developed other products, including a manual cylinder hone in 1928, as growth continued apace. The company started exporting products to Canada in the 1930s, then into Scandinavia. Sunnen switched to wartime production during World War II and later returned to making civilian goods in peacetime.

The company has continued to broaden its horizons, establishing branches in China and the UK in 1994, then Switzerland, Poland, and Italy shortly thereafter. Other new branches included Brazil in 2013 and India in 2014. As Sunnen expanded its reach, it also explored new, honing-adjacent markets, and began selling machines for deep hole drilling and skiving/roller burnishing in 2016. Growth in recent years has been driven in large part by the company’s commitment to “get into more difficult applications… including tight tolerances down to a millionth of an inch.”

Today, the company has branches in 15 countries throughout Asia, North and South America, and Europe, with 316 employees in the United States and 670 in total around the world.

When it comes to new hires, Sunnen looks for “a committed, dedicated employee, first and foremost—an employee who is willing to learn, willing to grow. Sunnen, like a lot of other companies, provides in-house training because it’s hard to find people with a machining background who have the specific technical background needed,” Conner explains. “We try to bring in the right employees with the right attitude and the right work ethic and then teach them the machining part of what we need.”

After almost a century as a family-run business, Sunnen was sold to private equity firm, P4G Capital Management, on December 1, 2023. Conner says that the company remains committed to quality and innovation, and to this end, there has been a big push to increase throughput and productivity. Sunnen is also striving to achieve AS9100 certification. Achieving the aerospace standard is a grueling process involving performance benchmarks, audits, and a constant focus on quality. The company currently does a brisk business with aircraft OEM suppliers, and this segment will likely expand further upon certification.

As for its own supply chain, Sunnen aims to use companies located near its home base in Missouri. Tariffs have caused some headaches with pricing and sourcing, leading the team to investigate alternative vendors in some cases, Conner explains.

Over the decades, the company has received industry kudos for its work, earning multiple Army-Navy Production Awards during World War II in recognition of the quality and quantity of its output. When it was revived by President Kennedy in the early 1960s to salute exporters, this honor was rebranded as the E Award, as in E for excellence. Sunnen received an E Award in 1964, and then an E Star Award 22 years later, a category that honors E Award winners who increase their exports. On May 17, 2024, Sunnen garnered a second E Star Award at a Washington D.C. ceremony hosted by the United States Department of Commerce. It was among only 13 companies to receive this honor at the event.

While delighted by these awards, Sunnen staff members remain grounded and alert to day-to-day concerns about workplace safety. A safety manager ensures that machines and processes in the manufacturing facilities are hazard-free and that shop employees wear appropriate personal protection equipment including steel-toed boots, safety glasses, and hearing protection when required. The human resources department works alongside the safety manager, assisting with documentation and liaising with employees who want to report safety issues. “There are a lot of checks and balances to make sure everything is not only compliant, but that people who are advocating for safety around here are heard and that any changes get made,” says Conner.

In terms of promotion, the company has a social media presence and participates in several trade shows each year, demonstrating its machinery and machining processes. That said, “Sunnen has been around for 100 years,” and “doesn’t need a lot of brand recognition help,” notes Conner. The company does face its share of challenges, such as the struggle to recruit new talent and retain existing staff. Across the manufacturing sector, many veteran employees are approaching retirement age, and insufficient numbers of young people are stepping up to replace them. The human resources department is “working on the culture here to attract younger people and attract people who want to stay in manufacturing for the long haul.” Among other things, Sunnen is aiming to improve communication between departments to ensure that no employee feels left out.

While it might be a centenarian, Sunnen remains a forward-thinking company. The team is investigating the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI), for example, which might be helpful in simplifying business practices or augmenting engineering services. That said, “We don’t want to just throw in AI for no reason. It has to be something that our customers really want, something that makes their life easier or makes the machining process easier for them.”

As for the future, Conner says, “I think we’re at the place where we’re assessing opportunities. That will guide us over the next five years.”

The post This Honing Equipment Giant Hits the Century Mark and Beyond<p class="company">Sunnen Products Company </p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The centerpiece of these recent upgrades is a $3.8 million investment in a trivalent chrome plating system. Trivalent plating entails the use of trivalent chromium and is becoming a popular alternative to traditional hexavalent plating, which relies on hexavalent chromium. The trivalent process produces less hazardous waste and other pollutants than hexavalent plating, while still offering excellent corrosion protection.

“Trivalent is your last step in the plating process,” explains Plating Manager Steve Sedely. “It’s a different type of chrome compared to the standard hexavalent chrome. It’s more environmentally friendly.”

In addition to providing ecological benefits, going green was a smart business move, given Lapeer’s clientele. “Our largest customer, which is General Motors, made the decision that future chrome components used on its vehicles will require trivalent. So, for us to stay aligned with our largest customer and obtain work with the new vehicle programs, we had to make this investment,” explains CEO Doug Goad.

Premium plating and much more
Based in Lapeer, Michigan, LP+P offers chrome plating, injection molding, and assembly services. Of these competencies, “plating is the heart of the company,” says Goad.

To this end, Lapeer uses high-end electroplating processes to apply chrome, matte, and other finishes to parts and products, with ancillary services including post-plating, a category that covers mask-painting, vacuum metalizing, and hot stamping. LP+P’s main products include grilles and moldings, decorative trims, ornamentation, and emblems, items primarily made for the automotive sector.

Lapeer didn’t expand its 135,000-square-foot plant or add a new line to accommodate the equipment required for trivalent plating; instead, the company spent part of this summer reconfiguring its existing plating line. This was accomplished on time and on budget, and the line was back in operation by early September.

“The line is constrained by the size of the building. Steve and his team put a plan together to extricate some of the tanks, install some new trivalent tanks, stretch the line out a little bit, remove and move different plating equipment, and pack it all back in the same footprint. We’re not looking at expanding the building itself, but you never know what the future might bring,” Goad shares.

The introduction of trivalent plating will not be accompanied by a sudden spike in production, he adds. “Our capacity for the number of pieces we can actually produce has not necessarily increased; what the upgrade has done is give us a dual capability with the probability that things are going to shift over the long haul from hexavalent to trivalent… We’ll go into production on the trivalent line in October 2026, on the new GM trucks.”

While the introduction of trivalent plating was a response to GM, there is “a big push for all the OEMs” to adopt the trivalent process, notes Sedely. Toyota, for example, has expressed interest in finishing more parts with this process. As such, Lapeer stands to pick up new work from a variety of sources.

“We fully expect this will open the door for us for a number of customers that we are going after… Over the next decade, requirements will continue to get more and more environmentally friendly. We positioned ourselves to be part of that shift,” states Goad.

Making changes
If the introduction of trivalent plating has been a major cause for celebration, the company hasn’t neglected other aspects of its operation. Lapeer recently acquired three new electric injection molding machines and may replace other machines with electric models in the near future. The new electric molding systems “are more accurate and more efficient” than the injection molding machines they replaced, which were between 20 to 30 years old, explains Goad. LP+P is also re-evaluating its painting capacity and investing in its nickel and metals reclamation systems. Enhancing its efforts to reclaim nickel and other production materials is a good way to reduce costs and benefit the environment at the same time.

In the same spirit, “we’re looking at a new waste treatment system as well… having the cleanest and most up-to-date waste treatment system possible,” says Sedely. LP+P would like to reduce the amount of PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), a synthetic chemical and dangerous pollutant, in its operations. Commonly used in metal plating processes, the presence of PFOS is “a growing concern,” he says.

In addition to gaining new prospects with GM, recent changes at LP+P have been driven by broader economic trends. “We’re actively looking at where we can make ourselves much more efficient to compete in this industry. There are a lot of new opportunities coming due to some of the reshoring taking place. The challenge, with some of this reshoring, is that people have gotten used to some very, very competitive prices [from overseas]. In order to compete, we have to make ourselves much more efficient,” says Goad.

He is referring to domestic manufacturers who have considered moving their offshore operations back to North America. Lapeer is proud of its multi-faceted capabilities and made-in-the-USA approach, so this could be a winning combination if the reshoring movement gains momentum.

It also helps that LP+P has a reputation for doing excellent work; the company has International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949:2016 certification for the production and decorative plating of plastic wares. And as part of its overall focus on quality, Lapeer also strives to reduce waste and scrap, maximize machine productivity and efficiency, and follow a continuous improvement ethos.

Building the workforce
In support of its growth, Lapeer continues to practice progressive recruitment methods. As noted previously, the firm has formed partnerships with groups such as the Lapeer County Community Mental Health Agency, Job Corps (a U.S. government career-training program), Goodwill, and Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) to source workers. Some of the potential recruits from these agencies have mental disabilities and other challenges that make it difficult for them to find employment. By bringing such individuals on board, Lapeer can bolster the ranks of its workers while assisting a disadvantaged demographic at the same time.

“We’re continuing to maintain a diverse work environment with individuals facing barriers, and we’ve gotten a lot of support from community partners,” says Human Resources Administrator, Joe Du Breuil.

LP+P employs approximately 270 people at present. Complicating matters is the fact that, industry-wide, skilled workers in the manufacturing sector are edging toward retirement and young people don’t seem eager to replace them. The situation at Lapeer is particularly critical as the company’s operations are still relatively labor-intensive, Goad tells us. “If you look at our plating system, bars are moved in and out of that system manually,” he notes.

To address the labor issue, Lapeer has brought in some new hires who have demonstrated an aptitude for mechanical work, then trained them so they can maintain existing plant equipment.

“Maintenance is an activity that nobody pays much attention to; everyone looks at the new equipment, the robotics. The fact is, there are still lots of companies that have lots of older equipment that needs to be maintained, and those skill sets are disappearing, so we’re developing our own people to be able to keep the machines up and running,” says Goad.

The company has also introduced a Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship program. “It’s a four-year program where individuals have their schooling either partly or completely covered through scholarships and grants, through the state of Michigan,” explains Du Breuil. The program blends in-house training with classroom learning. Participants will receive lessons on subjects such as hydraulics, mechatronics, and electrical work, with the aim of expanding Lapeer’s pool of skilled young workers.

Planning for growth
Going forward, Lapeer remains very much in growth mode. “We’ve got a business plan right now to increase our overall revenue… I’d like to see Lapeer at $60 to 100 million a year, which would be growth of three or four times,” says Goad.

LP+P stands to achieve this goal by not only embracing new services and methods, but also by maintaining its status as a comprehensive, one-stop shop.

“There are a lot of injection molders out there and lots of people doing assembly,” notes Goad. “Lapeer is unique in that it does everything underneath one roof. As a result, we’ve gained efficiencies that have made us competitive, and the new requirements and upgrading of our current chrome capability is key to the long-term viability of the company.”

With these strategic investments, strengthened capabilities, and forward-thinking workforce initiatives, Lapeer Plating + Plastics is positioning itself for a future defined by both competitiveness and responsibility. By modernizing its chrome processes, retooling key equipment, and doubling down on efficiency and environmental stewardship, the company is not only aligning with the needs of major OEMs but also creating opportunities for new business in a rapidly shifting manufacturing landscape. Committed to cultivating skilled talent and operating as a true one-stop shop, LP+P is charting a path toward sustainable growth—one that reinforces its reputation for quality while ensuring it remains a trusted partner to customers for years to come.

The post Trivalent Chrome, Talent Development, and the Road to Growth<p class="company">Lapeer Plating + Plastics</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

An ISO 9001-certified company, Samco proudly serves clients in more than 35 countries, combining deep industry expertise with a commitment to engineering precision and innovation. Every solution is custom-designed and engineered-to-order, ensuring that each customer’s unique production requirements are met with efficiency, quality, and reliability.

Vertically integrated: empowering customers through flexibility
While Samco was originally established to meet the market demand for roll forming machinery, helping customers achieve speed, precision, and high-volume production, the company has since evolved to meet a broader range of manufacturing needs.

Through its Rolling and Fabrication Divisions, Samco now supports organizations whose requirements may be smaller in scale, i.e. companies without high production volumes, with limited floor space or startup capital, or those whose business models are better suited to contract manufacturing rather than equipment ownership.

“I’ve been with Samco 11 years, and my job was to look for those opportunities and seek out organizations that required that type of service,” explains Darryl Levesque, Vice President – Rolling & Fabrication Division.

Samco’s deep focus on customer-centricity led to the creation of its Custom Roll Forming Division, designed specifically to serve clients who needed manufacturing services rather than full-scale roll forming machinery.

“That’s where the Rolling and Fabrication Divisions came in, to satisfy those customers who didn’t need a roll forming line; they simply needed a roll formed or fabricated product,” says Darryl. “Many of these companies weren’t interested in producing in-house. They were looking for a contract manufacturing partner who could do the work for them.”

By leveraging its expertise and advanced production capabilities, Samco helps clients save both time and capital, producing the volume they need without requiring investment in machinery or specialized labor.

“We sought out these opportunities, grew the business, and found customers that really needed that type of service,” Darryl adds. “Whether it’s prototype parts or small production runs, our vertical integration gives customers the ability to start small—and dream big.”

Rolling out the Rolling Division: extending Samco’s customer commitment
Samco’s Rolling Division represents the same dedication to excellence that has defined the company since its founding, a relentless drive for execution, delivery, and customer satisfaction.

Relationships at Samco are built on trust, expertise, and shared success. The company’s collaborative approach begins with active listening, which fosters open dialogue, sparks innovation, and leads to process improvements, shorter lead times, and reduced costs.

“The customer is everything,” Darryl stresses. “You’ve got to put yourself in their shoes. They’re not familiar with the roll forming process or the technology, so through our ability and knowledge of what can and can’t be done, we are able to confidently educate them about what we are, and ultimately, what they are capable of achieving.”

From concept to completion, each project is guided by Samco’s commitment to precision and efficiency. Depending on the complexity, the journey from development to tooling can be extensive, but Samco’s in-house design and tooling teams streamline this process from start to finish.

“That’s one of the benefits we have with design staff in-house,” Darryl explains. “We design our own roll tooling in a way that meets our standards and, at the end of the day, produces the product the customer is looking for.”

Furthering fabrication: completing the vertical integration
Five years ago, Samco identified both a need and an opportunity to expand beyond roll forming and become a fully vertically integrated manufacturer. The company responded by investing heavily in new equipment, advanced capabilities, industry certifications, and deeper engineering expertise.

“There are a lot of other fabrication shops and competitors out there,” notes Darryl, “but what we offer is the engineering knowledge and backing, the right equipment, and the understanding of where the customer wants to take their business.”

Today, Samco offers a comprehensive suite of fabrication services including laser cutting, brake pressing, shearing, bending, robotic welding, and certified structural welding. This end-to-end capability provides customers with economies of scale and the convenience of a one-stop shop.

“The one-stop shop mentality works in leaps and bounds,” says Darryl. “Not only do we have the core competency to offer all those processes, but we’re already pre-qualified in terms of quality.”

Samco’s ISO certifications further reinforce its dedication to quality. “We take them very seriously,” Darryl emphasizes. “We have extremely high standards and requirements in-house.” Each Samco division is individually ISO certified, giving customers the added benefit of time, cost, and efficiency savings.

Building relationships: the core of Samco’s success
At the heart of Samco’s continued success is a commitment to people, both customers and employees. The company’s focus on building strong, lasting relationships has been central to its growth for more than five decades.

“The machinery side is incredible, one of the first things that drew me to this company,” says Darryl. “Building the Rolling Division was really an extension of our pride in what we’ve accomplished on the machinery side, knowing that our machines have been in the field for 40-plus years and that our customers trust us for quality.”

That same innovative spirit drives Samco’s engineering team, a “fantastic crew,” as Darryl describes them, who are developing proprietary software and programs that anticipate and integrate AI-driven process advancements.

“There’s an expectation from the marketplace that if AI exists, it should make a client’s process easier and we’re addressing that,” says Darryl. “We’re constantly investing in R&D and reinvesting in resources—not just equipment, but knowledge to help our customers be more successful and efficient.”

For Samco, the formula for long-term success is simple: listen, innovate, and deliver.

“It’s about clients knowing they can count on us,” Darryl concludes. “Knowing that Samco will deliver and go to the ends of the Earth to meet their needs.”

The post From Roll Forming Leader to Industry Pioneer: Samco Redefines Custom Roll Forming and Fabrication<p class="company">Samco Machinery</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Despite the shifting international landscape, VEXOS continues to provide its customers with cutting-edge technology alongside superior service and exceptional supply chain efficiency, growing its market share in the smart grid infrastructure, communications, computing, and security industries. Also serving the medical, automotive, military, and aerospace industries, the company has deep expertise in managing the entire electronic product life cycle on behalf of its clients, a service that significantly enhances ease of ownership. This comprehensive approach spans value engineering services for product development as well as prototyping and new product introduction (NPI), product evolution, maturity, and end-of-life phases. Leveraging its global network of facilities across North America and Asia, Vexos delivers these services at scale, ensuring consistency, flexibility, and cost efficiency for customers worldwide.

While EMS forms the mainstay foundation of its capabilities, Vexos also provides Custom Material Solutions (CMS). From PCBs to plastic and metal parts, CMS is a key growth vertical to serve original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and new emerging technology companies.

Serving a broad range of clients from its facilities in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Vancouver, Washington, USA; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Dongguan, China, VEXOS expanded its North American presence last year to include a state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot EMS footprint in Juarez, Mexico to improve and maintain overall company efficiencies. To achieve such growth, the VEXOS team has worked tirelessly to increase capacity and efficiency. The company also acquired ControlTek in Vancouver, Washington, in September 2023, and earlier this year, it announced the completion of expansions to this facility, which include a cleanroom, a fourth surface mount technology (SMT) line, and Inovaxe custom storage.

In Asia, VEXOS announced an 8,000 square foot expansion of its Ho Chi Minh City facility, focused on box builds and assembly processes. The company also enhanced its SMT lines to increase capacity. In addition, VEXOS has moved its Dongguan operations to a newer facility near the Guangdong technology hub.

Backed by strong collaboration with its Markham operations, the company’s newest Mexico facility is in the final stages of achieving ISO 9001 certification. This upcoming certification will affirm the facility’s commitment to a rigorously managed quality system, driving consistent processes across services, from exceptional box build assembly to PCBA manufacturing and testing. Vexos’ Markham site also received the prestigious AS9100D certification—and reflects, in the words of Senior Vice President of Global Business Development Cyril Fernandes, the company’s strong growth within the aerospace industry. In addition to growth within the aerospace industry, the company has also seen notable increase in business from Fortune 500 companies, a development that holds tremendous promise for its continued success.

Initially launching in 2024 with two SMT lines, the Juarez, Mexico facility now offers four lines and is anticipating further growth in the near future. “We do think that we will get to six SMT lines within the next six to 12 months—a tripling of capacity in 18 months,” says Fernandes. “We have weathered the [geopolitical] storm quite effectively,” he continues, highlighting the facility’s impressive growth since its opening during trying times and its role in achieving such resilience.

To further boost the entire company’s efficiency, with the Juarez facility as his main focus, VEXOS announced the appointment of Hadi Farashahi as Senior Vice President of Operational Excellence in early September this year. VEXOS has reviewed its processes in detail to identify opportunities for improvement that will streamline the customer experience while boosting productivity. “Our global footprint provides customers with significant flexibility in choosing the site of production for their products being manufactured, ensuring the most effective landed cost for their good. A key element of effective landed costs is a significant focus on operational excellence. The addition of Hadi to our senior management team is tangible evidence of our commitment,” Fernandes explains, illustrating the company’s need for such strategic measures.

The VEXOS Vancouver facility collaborates with service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), CTEK2, to develop ‘set-aside’ capabilities for United States government tenders typically reserved for minority-owned businesses. “This initiative leverages our core skills to enable companies to engage with the U.S. government through this set-aside,” Fernandes says of this latest initiative.

“We’re very excited to be partnered with CTEK2,” seconds Erin Fortin, Director of Marketing and Strategic Analytics.

Taking another look at its Asian facilities, the company is also developing ways of expanding its Custom Material Solutions to offer custom commodities to its customers. Leveraging economies of scale, VEXOS provides significant savings on high-demand materials from trusted partners with whom it has had decades-long working relationships. Such products include custom-printed circuit boards, plastics, metals, displays, power supplies, and more.

Building on this innovative model, VEXOS is establishing centers of excellence in partnership with leading CMS partners in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These centers provide expert guidance on materials and engineering capabilities, enabling SMEs to access premium-quality products at competitive, big-buyer prices—a level of value typically reserved for large-scale enterprises. By breaking down these barriers, VEXOS empowers smaller firms to compete globally, fuels industry innovation, strengthens the global economy, and transforms traditionally exclusive industrial markets.

When it comes to the team that keeps this formidable force in motion, Fernandes’ message is positive: “We’ll continue with the approach that we’ve been taking. We’ll continue driving the value proposition that we have, which is enabling us to grow business organically and inorganically,” he says. In the same breath, Fernandes underscores how COVID-19 brought about a lasting transformation in the company’s approach to supply chain management, changing how it does business for good.

As VEXOS continues its global expansion, Fernandes hopes for the company to retain its unique character—one of warmth and camaraderie. While this leader is open about the challenges of a team spread across the planet, he points out that online platforms do help bridge the gap to a large extent. To cultivate a sense of organizational unity, the company introduced an operational excellence program to help guide teams toward synergy in effective ways. “We have a really strong management presence and communication with the global team,” says Fortin. “I think that’s an important part of our success.”

With changing horizons ever present, VEXOS maintains its sense of resilience as it continuously adapts in the face of global transience. What remains unchanged, however, is its promise of unwavering commitment—commitment to quality, evolution, and service excellence.

The post A Global Rise<p class="company">VEXOS</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

When Paul Koziorowski talks about his father’s journey, it’s clear that ProtoTier’s roots run deep in both craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit. “My dad was a mechanical engineer in Poland,” he recalls. “He had a business there doing plastic injection molding, so he had that entrepreneurial kind of spirit about him. When we immigrated to Canada, he saw there was a market for prototypes and thought he could start something of his own.”

The early days weren’t easy. Paul’s father had to navigate a new language, a new business environment, and the challenges of establishing credibility in a competitive manufacturing landscape. What he brought with him, however, was a rare combination of technical expertise, business acumen, and the willingness to work hard and adapt. That foundation helped him quickly find his footing, first working for other manufacturers and then taking the leap into entrepreneurship.

After gaining valuable experience in the Canadian automotive industry, Paul’s father partnered with a trusted colleague to form what would eventually become ProtoTier-1 Inc. The company name itself reflects its niche: prototypes for Tier 1 suppliers, the key manufacturers who supply directly to automotive OEMs.

In the world of automotive manufacturing, Tier 1 suppliers are optimized for high-volume production. Their equipment, workforce, and supply chains are geared toward producing hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—of identical components. But when it comes to producing prototypes or low-volume, short-run projects, those same large-scale operations can be inefficient or impractical. This is the gap that ProtoTier was designed to fill. Its sweet spot is runs of 3,000 to 5,000 pieces, a scale that is too small for many large manufacturers but perfectly aligned with ProtoTier’s capabilities.

The company specializes in runs as small as a single prototype or as large as a few thousand components. The processes it uses mirror those of full-scale production facilities—stamping, forming, welding—but with a leaner, more agile approach that allows for rapid turnaround and cost effectiveness. “We manufacture in the same kind of ways as a production company would,” says Koziorowski, “however, we do it in a very cost-efficient way because we’ll do a lot of the parts trimming and holes on the laser as opposed to actual tooling, like you’d see in a production facility.”

This approach is particularly valuable in the prototype phase, when designs are still being refined. Instead of investing heavily in permanent tooling that might have to be scrapped if the design changes, ProtoTier uses flexible methods that allow for quick adjustments.

ProtoTier’s bread and butter is stamping and forming sheet metal, often for complex parts with multiple bends, curves, and cutouts. The team’s expertise lies in internal automotive components: hinges, latches, dash assemblies, brackets, and structural braces. These are not cosmetic parts, but critical elements that contribute to a vehicle’s safety, function, and durability.

A typical project begins when a customer provides a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) file. From there, ProtoTier unfolds the design into a flat pattern, determines the most efficient way to cut it, and programs its laser cutting systems to produce precise blanks. Those blanks are then formed on hydraulic or mechanical presses, using custom tooling created in-house on CNC machines. Sometimes the formed parts are finished on a 5-axis laser cutter, which allows for intricate trimming and the creation of features that would be difficult or impossible with traditional stamping dies.

Because ProtoTier controls so much of the process internally, the team can maintain tight tolerances and ensure that each part meets exact specifications, whether it’s a one-off prototype for testing or a few thousand pieces for a limited production run. Indeed, one of ProtoTier’s defining advantages is its commitment to doing as much as possible under one roof. This not only speeds up production but also safeguards intellectual property, a critical concern in industries where design leaks can be costly.

“As much as humanly possible, we do in-house,” Koziorowski says. “There are certain processes we just can’t do, like coatings or anodizing, but all the manufacturing we can keep here, we do. It allows us to maintain quality, speed, and control.”

And the benefits go beyond security and lead time. By keeping all stages of manufacturing in close physical and operational proximity, engineers and machinists can collaborate in real time. If a part needs to be adjusted, they can make changes on the fly instead of waiting days or weeks for an outside supplier to respond. This agility is one of the reasons customers return again and again.

While ProtoTier’s mainstay is automotive prototypes, sister company CanadaDocks is an example of how necessity can spark innovation. The idea emerged during the economic downturn of 2007–2008, when automotive work slowed and the company faced tough decisions. One of the partners needed a dock for his cottage, and rather than purchasing one, the team decided to build it themselves. “There was no real intention at that time to grow the company or go into that field,” Koziorowski shares. “It was created out of the need to survive and keep employees employed as long as possible.”

That single dock evolved into a product line and eventually into a brand that has carved out a place in the modular aluminum dock market. CanadaDocks’ products are designed for easy assembly, durability, and resistance to the harsh conditions of Canadian lakes and rivers. And just as in the automotive sector, precision manufacturing is a key selling point. The same laser cutting and CNC machining capabilities used for auto parts are applied to create perfectly aligned dock sections and accessories.

The synergy between the two companies goes beyond shared equipment—skills in design, material selection, and manufacturing processes flow both ways. Innovations developed for automotive clients often inspire improvements in dock designs, and vice versa. The result is a rare level of cross-industry creativity that keeps both companies competitive.

Yet for all its technical capability, ProtoTier’s defining trait might be the way it treats its people. With fewer than 30 employees, many with tenures exceeding a decade, the workplace operates more like an extended family than a factory. “We’re a small shop, and everybody’s almost like an extended family,” Koziorowski says. “We treat everybody fairly and respectfully as you’re just not a number here. We spend more time at work than at home, so we try to make sure it’s a place people want to be.”

Flexibility is a core part of that culture. Employees can adjust their start times to accommodate family commitments, and time off for personal events is met with understanding rather than pushback. Monthly barbecues in the summer, an annual Christmas dinner, and at least one off-site team-building event each year reinforce the sense of community.

It’s an environment where Monday mornings don’t feel like a grind. “It’s surprising on a Monday how many people will still be smiling and joking around compared to other places,” Koziorowski notes. The lighthearted atmosphere doesn’t mean a lack of discipline; when deadlines loom, the team works together to deliver.

While automotive manufacturing remains the backbone of ProtoTier’s business, the company has steadily diversified, taking on projects for American manufacturers seeking to keep production in North America, as well as clients in industries where production volumes are too small for traditional manufacturing plants.

The push toward electric vehicles has also brought new opportunities, and ProtoTier has produced battery cooling trays and other specialized components for EV manufacturers. The company’s ability to adapt quickly to new designs makes it an attractive partner for companies in fast-changing industries. “With the push for electric vehicles, we’ve started to do some electric car parts,” Koziorowski tells us. “With our knowledge and tools in-house, we’re very flexible.”

Rather than chasing rapid expansion, ProtoTier focuses on sustainable growth. The company owns land that could be developed, especially for CanadaDocks, but its priority is building customer relationships and expanding capabilities. “We’re content with our size right now,” Koziorowski says. “The growth we’re looking for is in outside automotive markets, diversifying the portfolio.”

At its core, ProtoTier’s success comes down to a blend of technical excellence, adaptability, and a genuine commitment to people, both employees and clients. The company’s ISO 9001 certification formalizes its dedication to quality, but the real proof is in the loyalty of customers and the longevity of staff members.

From a father’s vision in Poland to a thriving second-generation enterprise in Canada, ProtoTier’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and the value of keeping things close to home. This company has shown that a small, highly skilled team can compete with industry giants, not by outspending them, but by outthinking them.

As Paul Koziorowski puts it, “We’re not trying to be a big corporation. We’re a small shop where everybody knows each other, and that’s how we like it.”

The post Family Values, In-House Expertise, and a Vision for Lasting Success<p class="company">ProtoTier-1</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Bourn & Koch provides field service, rebuilding, retrofitting, and repair parts for 29 American machine tool companies. Boasting archives representing more than 2,500 years of engineering expertise, the company brings unique solutions to the modern manufacturing sector while preserving the still-useful machinery that gave rise to American industry.

Founded in 1975 in Rockford, Illinois by engineers Larry Bourn and Loyd Koch of Sundstrand Machine Tool, Bourn & Koch has since made numerous changes and upgrades to its lines, from redesigning and re-engineering the Blanchard 22AD-42 rotary surface grinder, bringing it up to date with the latest technologies, to developing gear hobbing and shaping technology ranging from 25 to 1280 millimeters of work envelope. More recent engineering developments include the new MT³ (pronounced M-T cubed) vertical grinder, which combines milling, turning, and vertical grinding into a single machine platform.

Opportunity is where you find it
Other changes are also underway for this innovative company. In 2023, InCompass acquired Bourn & Koch and Mollart as part of two separate acquisitions. As a result, Bourn & Koch took over Mollart’s operations, sales, and field service support, previously based in Chessington, United Kingdom.

Mollart, which creates and produces equipment for deep hole drilling, multi-spindle pellet die drilling, micro-drilling, BTA deep-hole drilling, and gun drilling, began the process of moving production to Bourn & Koch’s Rockford facility in early 2024. “InCompass is a group of machine tool companies with some familiar names in manufacturing like Clausing, Bridgeport, and Timesavers, so it’s a great home for us,” says Joe Goral, Vice President of Sales. “We’ve made a number of improvements in our 130,000-square-foot facility to welcome Mollart’s product line and now build those machines here,” he tells us.

Improvements also included purging some aged inventory and leveraging ‘5S’ to make space for the growth and fit of everything from the London operation, adds Vice President of Operations Todd Wells. “We also reconfigured the factory layout to allow building of larger gun drilling machines into a high bay we already had.”

Along with relocating the assembly and service parts warehouse from the London facility to the Rockford factory, Bourn & Koch added some critical roles to support the integration. The company has also leveraged the workforce development programs available at IMA (Illinois Manufacturers’ Association) and TWC (The Workforce Connection), Rockford’s local workforce board, to support the delivery of critical education to its workforce. IMA and TWC support investments in developing critical skills, such as skills for machine building and CNC machining, the gun drilling application being a new CNC application to the BK team.

Building skills
“Gun drilling has been quite a learning curve for us,” Goral shares. “It’s not something we’ve done previously, but we’ve learned it, supported by Mollart employees from the UK who we’ve retained to continue production of these machines.”

With all the unknowns that preceded the acquisition and move, this success has come as great news, he adds. “When you build a machine for the first time—something we do a lot because we’re involved in special machine tool manufacturing and custom engineering—there are a lot of times where the machine just doesn’t exist before we build it.”

This means there’s always some risk involved. Bourn & Koch visited the Mollart facility in the UK, did their homework, and were “cautiously optimistic” that things would go well. “It’s great to hear one of their longtime employees come here and compliment the job we did. We really enjoy hearing that, and it bodes well for the future success of having this work here.”

Mollart’s business is roughly 50 percent North American and 50 percent global, with a prominent presence in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico across major sectors such as medical, automotive, and firearms. “Being on the sales side of things, I get to visit customers in the factory and see how these machines are integrated with their processes,” says Goral. “I’ve seen some very impressive fully automated lines where transmission shafts are moved through the factory to the gun drill, and then on to other processes. It’s really neat to see the success they’ve had in the past with these customers, and to be able to continue that.”

A new start for Blanchard
As for the Blanchard product line—a company brand since 2004—for the first 14 years after the acquisition, Bourn & Koch built the machines in the Blanchard way, updating the controls and systems as they went obsolete, but still based on their original engineering. However, in 2018 Bourn & Koch redesigned the entire machine and process, adding numerous features that certain segments of the market found valuable, including a full, automated stainless-steel enclosure with a roll-up door and power dresser. The company is now making an effort to redesign it again to better meet what the majority of the market is looking for in a rotary surface grinding machine.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to abandon the current design of the machine,” says Goral, “but just simplify it to make it fit what the market wants and bring it to a price point that’s easier to justify for smaller manufacturers and companies that may not need the technology level of the current design.”

This means simplifying the controls and reducing the footprint so the machine does what a Blanchard needs to do but isn’t over-engineered for the application. The company is gathering market feedback and spending a lot of time with its customer base before getting to the prototype phase to ensure it ticks all the boxes.

“While Joe is out there getting customer input directly from the user base, our internal team is submitting ideas about what changes would make the product easier to manufacture and assemble,” Wells adds.

Learning and leadership
To maintain its quality of workmanship and grow a skilled workforce, Bourn & Koch has continued to develop its learning management system over the past eight years. While experiencing some false starts with other programs, it eventually joined the Rock River Valley Tooling and Machining Association (RRVTMA) to design an apprenticeship program that fits the demands of developing relevant skilled labor.

As the local branch of the National Tooling and Machining Association, the RRVTMA has a key partnership with Rock Valley College, the local community college, which Wells says is a big part of its success in the area. “It marries well with our learning management systems so we can upskill,” he says. “We service, design, and build a variety of CNC machine tools—grinding, hobbing, shaping, milling, drilling, and turning.”

The RRVTMA makes a good fit with Bourn & Koch, allowing machine tool builders to undertake an apprenticeship program that supports skills and growth. “For the first time in 2025, we’ve successfully leveraged the program all the way through to having two graduates,” says Wells. “We’ve taken two apprentices through that four-year program for them to achieve their journeyman credentials. That’s a big win for us this year.”

Constructing CNC machines involves the integration of complex electronics to bring motion to an otherwise mechanical system. Bourn & Koch leverages the mechatronics program at Rock Valley College’s Advanced Technical Center to speed the development of electro-mechanical skills necessary to build these machines. “RVC has invited us to the table to help align their program with our needs,” Wells says. “This program helped deliver the skills necessary to grow the volume of panels built and controls integrated within the factory.”

The company has also partnered with the State of Illinois through a grant program which marries well with the training program. “Leadership skills are among the skills that have been hard to get,” says Wells. “We’ve used these tenets and job principles to guide us through a project for the past year and a half, working with our local workforce board so we can identify the marketable skills in every single business segment here—whether it’s sales or operations or the finance team—to clarify what the career pathways are for our entire business.”

This means that all employees at Bourn & Koch, regardless of their role, understand the steppingstones of their career. Through this project, the company has developed a 23-lesson leadership program that helps managers understand how to succeed in their position.

“It’s one thing to promote somebody to manager; it’s another thing to show them how to do it,” says Wells. “We’ve spent a lot of time over the past year helping our managers know how to be good managers—how to understand employment law, our internal processes for performance reviews, and the training program itself.” This has included increasing the flexibility of work schedules to support work-life balance, which is much appreciated. Employees surveyed in connection with this project are 94 percent satisfied with career opportunities at Bourn & Koch.

From a national system standpoint, the National Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program has also been vital, offering an excellent leadership program developed to help qualify leaders, along with the local chapter, IMEC (Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center), Illinois’ MEP, and the IMEC Leadership Development Program.

Facing down challenges
Unfortunately, recent budget cuts throughout the U.S. may lead to MEP programs being cut, putting those invaluable opportunities, particularly for a smaller manufacturer like Bourn & Koch, in jeopardy.

“That immense value we get through IMEC and the immense value that other manufacturers get through these MEPs may no longer be an option,” says Goral. “Grant funding supports a lot of these programs we’re talking about, and it’s helpful when we look at how we justify and pay for them.”

IMEC has also been an invaluable resource across the organization. Without that grant funding, companies won’t have those opportunities. “I’m glad Joe said it; I agree with it,” says Wells. “It’s a very important program, and we’ve been fortunate so far to be able to be supported by those entities. I hope that continues.”

Despite uncertainty surrounding future funding, Bourn & Koch’s history of innovation, adaptability, and investment in its people suggests a strong path forward. By blending time-tested machine tool expertise with forward-thinking engineering, the company continues to equip manufacturers with the tools, skills, and leadership they need to succeed. A dedicated workforce, loyal customer base, and proven ability to turn challenges into opportunities continue to propel this team forward.

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HERMLE USA’s world-renowned service includes expert customer training, field service, and applications assistance. Moreover, its relentless innovation continues to drive its evolution. And now, a new range of machines, GEN2, will be launched at its 5-Axis Summit 2025 taking place from September 9^th to 11^th at its headquarters in Franklin, Wisconsin. As a result, the company looks forward to significantly expanding its North American presence following the event, which promises to be as memorable as it is resource packed.

The event will feature live demonstrations of cutting-edge 5-axis and automation technologies, expert-led presentations on AI, motion control, and process integration, and insights from nearly 40 industry-leading partners. It will provide visitors with three days of machine demonstrations, respected keynote speakers, and technology presentations that will inform, educate, and guide audience members in discerning their needs. Expert speakers will include Dr. Jens Kummetz, HEIDENHAIN’s Head of Application Development and Dr. Joseph Koch, Open Mind’s Executive Director of Development, to name a few, while companies like Siemens, Blum, MOLDINO, and more will also be represented. The true star of the show, however, will be HERMLE USA’s new collection of future-proof machines.

The new GEN2 machine centers are described as integrated, future-ready, and providing machining production in a single setup. Each unit comes complete with 13 processes in one 5-axis machine center. Combining market-disrupting efficiency and characteristic precision, these machines lead a historic market shift. New models include the C 250, C 400, C 650, C 12, C 22, C 32, C 42, and a robotic system, the RS 2 GEN2, which can be configured with up to three identical or different HERMLE machining centers. In this way, HERMLE USA intends to make these its most memorable and sought-after machines to date, bringing its entire collection to nine models.

While nine models may appear like a large number, HERMLE hides sophisticated simplicity in plain sight. “Underneath, all our machines look pretty much the same. That allows HERMLE to be dedicated to only one machine product,” says Markus Puntigam, Vice President of Sales and Marketing North America, pointing out that sizes do differ. “Therefore every service technician you talk to is an expert on your machine,” he says. “Every customer you talk to will tell you we make outstanding machines.”

In addition, while the machines serve many industries, they are ideal for fabrication outfits that demand specialized kinematics. Highly anticipated for their high-performance integration and unmanned operational efficiencies, the company believes that the GEN2 machines are built for a new era. “This platform doesn’t just evolve our machines; it completely reinvents what’s possible in a single setup. For shops looking to stay competitive, this is your iPhone moment,” said President and CEO Gunther Schnitzer in a press release.

While GEN2 may look similar to older models, the difference between the new and older models is the introduction of PROFINET systems over the earlier protocol, Profibus (process field bus). These protocols are at the heart of each machine’s communication architecture. Based on ethernet with response times of less than 1 millisecond, PROFINET allows engineers to incorporate the latest smart IO-sensors and more sophisticated CNC features, assisting the company in future-proofing its technologies.

Boasting superb spindle uptime with sustainability and automation excellence in mind, these machines exemplify the company’s legendary dependability, with the added benefit of modern technology and capabilities to bring machining into the 21^st century. HERMLE USA’s greatest achievement with the fresh iteration of its time-tested 5-axis technologies—which also reduce the amount of floorspace, time, and labor needed to run them—is the fact that previously diverse arrays can now be integrated into a single platform. Some of its diagnostics and performance-enhancing improvements also include sensors compatible with the internet of things (IOT), together with the most advanced HEIDENHAIN -model drive converters, ensuring the machines’ continued relevance in service tools’ ever-evolving interface technologies.

Fully aware that its customers only make money when their machines are running, Puntigam is frank about the impressive capabilities of the company’s new machines. “GEN2 is built to keep spindles turning—longer, smarter, and with fewer human interventions,” he says. “This is the future of manufacturing.” And this is why GEN 2 was developed with the mission of giving machine shops greater superpowers. Working leaner, more efficiently and at lower cost per piece production-wise, these machines feature everything from contour broaching and advanced diamond polishing and grinding to energy efficiency and temperature and ultrasound measuring.

They also offer improved coolant filtration, advanced spindle diagnostics, and much more. HERMLE USA’s GEN 2 machines even manage workflows through automated, space-saving pallet assessments. Troubleshooting is another breeze with CNC archives providing all the details the team needs to diagnose remotely, test, and rectify any issues with the help of high-end technologies and its field staff, where remote correction is not possible. “This capability really sets HERMLE apart from the rest of the industry,” says Schnitzer.

There is also the ZM30 tool magazine housing 30 additional tools in half the space; moreover, HERMLE customers and HEIDENHAIN TNC7 owners will soon have access to an extensive training video library, making owning these machines an even greater pleasure.

Alongside its growth in the United States, the company’s presence in Mexico and Canada is expanding, with its team of engineers, service technicians, and general support staff also growing at a steady pace. Strategically anchored with good access to two international airports and a robust labor force at its Franklin base, part of this unrelenting drive to provide sophisticated yet easy integration was achieved by establishing a new facility in Mesa, Arizona last year.

Close to the city of Phoenix, with additional critical component storage capacity to better serve its West Coast clientele, this is not the company’s only recent expansion. June 2020 saw the company announce the conclusion of an extensive $3 million expansion of its Wisconsin facility. The project’s mission was to render a state-of-the-art facility doubling the size of its North American headquarters with the addition of 15,000 square feet to better serve and grow its local client base, and it has certainly achieved that. The new technology center aims to improve the area’s labor force by upgrading skills through its high-tech service technician and apprentice training syllabus based on its time-tested German program. With several complete machining centers as well as a showroom where its machines can be viewed up close, the center serves as a comprehensive learning hub where potential owners can get their first sense of the ease of ownership and quality that HERMLE machines provide.

“As more people get to know the incredible quality of the machinery and the team that stands behind them, HERMLE will keep growing quickly,” said Manuel Merkt, former President and COO, in a press release at the time. “HERMLE service is as world-class as the machines, and much of that is because HERMLE is proactive. This expansion will ensure HERMLE is even more prepared to serve all customers just as diligently as the company grows.”

To achieve this vision of growth, the facility now offers increased warehousing, improving response time for shipping high-demand components to local customers.

As a company known for combining perpetual evolution with time-honored skill, HERMLE USA is poised to continue evolving in response to the ever-changing needs of its markets while growing its reputation and capabilities. To be sure, this team is excited to demonstrate the latest technologies at the upcoming summit, September 9th to 11th in Franklin, Wisconsin. HERMLE USA’s Marketing Manager, Jeremy Williamson’s, invitation speaks for itself: “Until you see, hear, and feel what our technology can do, it’s hard to understand the capabilities,” he says. “Readers should attend the 5-Axis Summit and see for themselves.”

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