Through the creation of a workstation consisting of a Miyano CNC automatic lathe, matched with a Starrett HDV 400 digital comparator for inspection, North Easton Machine was able to increase the size of products they could deliver. They added 14 new clients that used the new machine, and doubled sales with a client in the defense sector.
Key Stats:
| Location: | Easton, MA/Bristol County |
| Company Size: | 22 employees |
| MMAP Grant Amount: | $147,500 |
| Grant Date: | January 2022 |
| Partner: | MassHire Greater Brockton |
| Job Impact: | Hired a new programmer and added three new paid internships |
| Benefits: | Added 14 new clients that benefitted from the new machine, including 14 in 2022 and 2023. Saw new customer sales of $172,538 to target sectors. |
Company background: North Easton Machine (NEM) is a 60-year-old advanced manufacturer that contracts with a diverse customer base producing custom-machined components for engineers and buyers in the defense, semiconductor, medical device, robotics, photonics, and battery industries. Starting as a home-based machine shop, NEM has “evolved into a state-of-the-art CNC turning and milling company” that works out of a 15,000 square foot facility that is an ITAR registered and ISO 9001:2015 certified contract manufacturer.
Problem: North Easton Machine felt the pain from aging equipment and was losing out to competitors as they were not able to deliver products that were competitive on price or delivery times, particularly for clients in the photonics, semiconductor, and defense spaces. According to Paula Martel, outreach manager, NEM, there was a hesitation about going after a state grant, as there was concern that they would lose out to larger, more established companies, but they decided that the reward, to potentially have half the price of a new piece of equipment paid for by the state grant was worth it. Martel noted in a small business under 50 employees, grant writing sometimes is a lower priority as it does not fall into anyone’s job description and sometimes requires an outside contractor to assist. There’s also the feeling that, as a small business, their company would be at a disadvantage to larger firms that are in the grant pool. One thing that convinced them to apply was the “user-friendly” application for MMAP, which Martel managed along with support from her internal finance team on budget questions. “It’s a fairly straightforward budget…and not a complex application process.” Martel said. “It’s not so high-brow that you need a grant writer.”
Solution: NEM used the MMAP grant to purchase a Miyano CNC automatic lathe matched with a Starrett HDV 400 digital comparator for inspection, a pair of tools that created a workstation for employees.
“We feel like this was a great purchase…and the opportunity to get 50% of the purchase paid was great,” said Martel. “We’re always going to have to purchase equipment that is $250,000 to $600,000 for one piece of equipment. So the ability to share cost through the grant is huge for us.”
The pairing of the two tools as a combined workstation meant that “we do not have an employee having to leave the workstation to go to a quality lab for inspections and then return,” said Martel. This is a move that increased productivity.
The addition of the tools also allowed NEM to go after new client projects in a product range they couldn’t handle previously and at a price point that was attractive to clients, particularly those in the photonics and defense sectors.
“We knew it would be most advantageous to a defense client we work with in the photonics space, making night-vision goggles and those types of products,” said Martel. “And we doubled our sales to that client. That is significant.”
In 2022 and 2023, NEM was able to convert 14 new clients from a sales lead (RFQ) into concrete orders due to the new equipment.
Through the project, the company also brought on new workers, including an intern from Stonehill College and two from Diman Vocational Technical High School in Fall River, students that received real-world experience on the new Miyano and Starrett tools.
“This is a very practical, straightforward, and hugely helpful program,” said Martel. “Any small business is always looking for ways to invest [in their operations]. Knowing what’s available, doing the work, and being creative on how to further your business with a little help. It’s worth jumping off the cliff.”
Learn more about North Easton Machine: northeastonmachine.com