At NTMA, we know what it takes to build a modern machine shop, and we want to help you succeed! Explore these proven insights and ground yourself—and your company—with smart business practices, contemporary machining methods, and growth-focused leadership tips.
Focus On Leadership
Building any business is hard work, and building a machine shop is uniquely challenging. Fortunately, NTMA counts many of manufacturing’s leading influences among our membership ranks. Here’s what today’s leaders have to say about running a successful machine shop:
Lessons in Leadership: Manufacturing without Limits
Meet three of the talented emerging leaders who are transforming yesterday’s factory floor into today’s modern machine shop. Ashleigh Wehrle, Christina Collette, and Zac Overton share their experiences and insights.
Dear Modern Machine Shop Leaders: You Can’t Do it All
Running a modern machine shop can feel like playing a game of dodgeball. There are always new challenges coming toward you at high speed, and you need to catch or deflect each one while continuously delegating other critical tasks to the appropriate people.
Resources to Run a Successful Modern Machine Shop
The most successful machine shop owners leverage a combination of digital resources and learnings from their community to build their machine shop strategies.
Thinking of Starting a Machine Shop? Don’t Miss These Machine Shop Resources
If you’re a machinist just beginning your business journey, you won’t want to miss these resources on how to run a machine shop.
Focus On Operations
The manufacturing itself is only one of the many responsibilities weighing on a shop owner’s shoulders. Here are a few of our resources dedicated to navigating the practical demands of shop life:
How Modern Machine Shops Can Get Their Finances in Order
Ensuring the security of your company’s finances is one of the most important things you can do. But if you’re like many of our members, you didn’t train as an accountant before opening up your shop.
Need HR Support? Get Free Legal Counseling on Labor Relations
To keep skilled employees happy, you’ll need a comprehensive employee handbook that they view as fair and reasonable. A handbook ensures that shops and employees are on the same page regarding policies and expectations critical to the function of the business.
How to Increase the Value of Your Modern Machine Shop
When you think of increasing value in your modern machine shop, your mind may go to buying more machines or expanding your services. These initiatives can certainly yield significant gains, but it’s also essential to focus on strategies for improving fundamental aspects of your business.
When Small Shops Think Big, They Succeed
It’s scary to plan 3-5 years ahead when you’re not even sure how to navigate the next 3-5 months. That’s why now—when business is booming—is the time to look inward, around, and ahead.
Focus On Training
Well-trained team members are essential to your business. Training your employees not only empowers them to keep the shop running smoothly but also allows them to find fulfillment and achieve their potential. Here’s how to leverage the manufacturing industry’s training opportunities:
Get Top-Tier Manufacturing Training from Your Local Trade Association
While there’s nothing wrong with choosing training from a trade school, you’ve probably overlooked one of the most valuable training solutions available to manufacturers today.
Hate Performance Reviews? Here’s How to Fix Them
Are you avoiding performance reviews? As the shop owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure regular engagement with every employee.
How to Leverage Training to Find Better Manufacturing Talent
If you’re serious about closing workforce gaps in your shop, you should put as much effort into attracting employees as you do into attracting customers. So, what’s a modern machine shop to do?
Focus On the Shop Floor
The manufacturing industry is constantly evolving, and to stay competitive, you need to evolve with it! Here are some of the ways successful shops tackle the complexities of equipment, technology, and other shop floor needs:
How Manufacturers Can Use Technology to Drive Employee Productivity
Recent developments in automation and technology enable small shops to save time and achieve more without hiring additional employees or buying new equipment. We review three technologies that can improve productivity in your shop.
The Case for Outsourcing: Leverage Your Manufacturing Network to Grow Your Business
When a customer comes to your shop needing capabilities you can’t provide in-house, you have three options: no-quote the project, buy a new machine to do the work yourself, or outsource part of the project to a trusted partner.
Collaboration Is Key to Success in Modern Precision Machining
Running a precision machine shop is full of extreme highs and lows. But there is one proven path forward: collaborating with your peers and effectively leveraging the resources available to you.
The Modern Machine Shop’s Guide to Developing a Strong Supplier Network
Developing a well-vetted supplier network is a great way for a modern machine shop owner to grow their business.
