MetalQuest Unlimited, Inc., is a precision machining company with shops in Nebraska and Idaho, where they specialize in manufacturing tight tolerance parts.
Scott Harms, President at MetalQuest, and Ashley Harms, the company’s Marketing Coordinator, recently sat down with us to discuss how nearly a decade of NTMA membership has helped them to connect and even collaborate with other leaders in the CNC machining business community.
MetalQuest: A (Custom) Cut Above
Scott started MetalQuest 28 years ago. Today, with two modern CNC machine shops in Hebron, Nebraska, and Hayden, Idaho, the company manufactures precision parts and assemblies with an eye on total customer satisfaction.
“Unlike other machine shops, which might specialize in one or two parts,” Scott told us, “we’re more of a custom manufacturer capable of doing entire assemblies.”
Striking a balance between customization, high precision, and high volume has meant investing in the latest technologies. For instance, Scott details, “Our two INDEX multi-spindle lathes are flagship pieces; there are tens of thousands of machine shops in the nation, but there are only a handful of companies—maybe ten—who have that power. This allows us to have conversations in the hundreds of thousands of parts, not just the hundreds of parts—that’s what those tools bring to the table.”
Even with these high volumes, MetalQuest never cuts corners when it comes to customer service. For example, Scott explained, “We have an extensive manufacturing coordination group that can handle any form of raw sourcing all the way to any kind of outsourcing.” Assets like these make it possible for the shop to tailor each customer’s experience to an even greater degree.
A Large and At-Large NTMA Member
MetalQuest joined NTMA in the mid-2010s on the advice of another machine shop owner.
When compared to other members, the company is one of NTMA’s larger shops; while most might have between 5-20 employees, MetalQuest has upwards of 85.
MetalQuest isn’t just one of NTMA’s larger shops—it’s also one of the organization’s only members in Nebraska. Given that the closest chapter is over four hours away in Kansas City, the state has an at-large designation. “We’re kind of on an island,” Scott observed, “partially because we’re not in a super heavy manufacturing area.”
How NTMA Keeps MetalQuest Connected
Despite (or because of) being on this “island,” MetalQuest has used its NTMA membership to stay connected to other CNC machining businesses in two distinct ways.
1. Building community and trust
“Bar none,” Scott says, “the biggest benefit of NTMA membership has been the lasting friendships that we’ve developed. Everyone is open, honest, and happy to share. It’s not an ‘every man for himself’ mentality—it’s about community.”
This community has been a big part of MetalQuest’s success. “There are companies that I can call and ask, ‘Hey, how do you handle this?’ And it goes both ways—they also ask me questions, we swap data, sometimes we develop ideas together. I wouldn’t just go into a room and volunteer that information—that kind of trust takes time. NTMA has given us the opportunity to build those relationships.”
2. Staying in-the-know with industry leaders
Outside of these informal connections, NTMA has also provided MetalQuest with chances to network directly with other modern CNC machine shops. Ashley, for instance, was recently part of an NTMA Emerging Leaders cohort. “This was my first time seeing what NTMA was all about—it was a great mix of learning about a variety of topics that are relevant to what we do, as well as getting to talk more with people in the industry and kind of building those relationships.”
MetalQuest has also taken advantage of other NTMA educational opportunities and training programs to improve its machine shop management. “We’ve participated in NTMA’s tech tours—they’re absolutely incredible,” Scott emphasized. “We’re also looking forward to attending this year’s Engage conference.”
NTMA Helps Manufacturers like MetalQuest Maintain a Competitive Edge
Would Scott give other machine shops the same advice about joining NTMA that he received over a decade ago? “Absolutely,” he says without hesitation. “It’s very easy to feel alone in this world, in this industry, and with NTMA, you’ve got a group of like-minded people available to you who are incredibly nice, helpful, and courteous. It’s a place where you can learn new things and where everybody is very receptive to new ideas and new topics.”
After all, Scott reflects: “You’re better together than you are alone.”
