92. Are PE Firms Ruining Machining? A New & Better Model for Buying Shops with Mark Hillenburg
Machine Shop Mastery
Over the last decade, I’ve watched private equity surge into the machining world — and I’ve seen firsthand how often the short-term flip-in-five-years strategy ends up hurting shops, people, customers, and entire supply chains. While the capital can help, the incentives often drive decisions that weaken the very businesses PE firms acquire. But every now and then, someone comes along with a model that stops you in your tracks because it actually makes sense for our industry. That someone is Mark Hillenburg, co-founder of Collective Manufacturing Group, a company built on a...
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91. Passion and Excellence Personified with Ty Haguewood
Machine Shop Mastery
As a host, I’ve met hundreds of shop owners, but every once in a while, I meet someone whose story stops me in my tracks. Ty Haguewood, General Manager and CFO of Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. (MTI) and Stone Mather Designs (SMD), is one of those people. Ty didn’t grow up in manufacturing—he was a finance professional who took a random tour of a machine shop six years ago and walked out forever changed. What started as curiosity became a calling. Today, Ty helps lead two growing businesses north of Albuquerque, New Mexico—one serving precision aerospace customers and...
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90. Burnout Killed This Machine Shop
Machine Shop Mastery
When you’ve poured 46 years of your life into building a thriving precision machine shop—one that grew from a one-man garage to 50 employees, world-class equipment, and top-tier aerospace customers—you don’t expect it to end with burnout. In this deeply candid episode, I sit down with Cody Sisson, a lifelong machinist who built a remarkable business through decades of grit, innovation, and commitment to excellence—only to watch it collapse under the weight of exhaustion, health crises, and a perfect storm of setbacks. Cody opens up about the early days of his shop, the thrill of...
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89. Lessons Learned from Buying & Losing a Machine Shop | Mark Heston
Machine Shop Mastery
In this powerful and deeply candid conversation, I sat down with Mark Heston, who first appeared on Episode 51 to share his story of buying and rebuilding an aerospace machine shop specializing in landing-gear components. At that time, the business was on an upward trajectory — improving culture, repricing work, and investing in growth. But behind the scenes, hidden challenges were forming that would ultimately lead to an unexpected and difficult ending. In this follow-up episode, Mark opens up about what happened next—the liquidity crisis, the missteps in financial due diligence, and the...
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88. Learning, Building & Teaching with John Saunders
Machine Shop Mastery
I’ve admired John Saunders for a long time. Most of you probably know him as the force behind the NYC CNC YouTube channel, the Business of Machining podcast, and of course, Saunders Machine Works. John has been creating content, teaching, and inspiring machinists since long before it was “cool” to do so online. In fact, he’s one of the first people I think of when someone says they learned machining from YouTube. When we sat down for this conversation, I wanted to go deeper than the usual “how’d you get started” story. We talked about the real journey of moving from hobbyist to...
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87. People and Technology: Building an Enduring Shop
Machine Shop Mastery
When I think about the shops that inspire me most, it’s the ones that balance cutting-edge technology with a deep investment in people. That’s exactly why I loved sitting down with Steve and Eric Van Orden of Paramount Machine in Salt Lake City, Utah. Steve started Paramount back in 1995 with nothing more than a manual mill and a garage shop. Fast forward nearly three decades, and the company has grown into a 75-person operation with more than 30 machines, including palletized horizontals, multi-spindle lathes, and 5-axis mills. What impressed me most, though, wasn’t the...
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86. Using Business to Build People: Sam Thevanayagam’s Model for Manufacturing Leadership
Machine Shop Mastery
When I think about inspiring stories of resilience and vision in the world of manufacturing, Sam Thevanayagam’s journey is one that stands out. In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Sam, the founder of Parts Life Inc. and the leader behind Deval Lifecycle, to unpack his incredible path from Sri Lanka to Philadelphia, from downsizing his home to fund his dream, to acquiring a bankrupt business and transforming it into a thriving, mission-driven company employing nearly 200 people. What struck me most about Sam is not just his sharp business acumen or the bold risks he’s...
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85. Buying a Machine Shop for All the Right Reasons - Scott Bruneau from Delaware Metals
Machine Shop Mastery
What happens when two people with a shared vision for community, craftsmanship, and legacy decide to take the leap into shop ownership? For Scott and his wife, the answer is Delaware Metals. In this inspiring conversation, Scott Bruneau shares how he and his wife purchased a decades-old, well-run machine shop—not as a quick flip, but as a long-term investment in American manufacturing, their team, and their community. With over 20 years in the industry himself, Scott knew the road ahead would be demanding. But armed with a clear “why,” a strong culture-first mindset, and a...
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84. Facing Fears and Building an Emotionally Safe Workplace | Dana Gruber
Machine Shop Mastery
What if the next frontier of manufacturing leadership isn’t on the shop floor—but in the hearts and minds of your people? In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul sits down with Dana Gruber, third-generation owner and president of ATCO Tool & Manufacturing. Dana didn’t grow up on the machines—she came from a career in cosmetology—but found herself drawn back into the family business with a mission that goes beyond precision parts: Creating an emotionally safe and psychologically aware workplace. From investing in cutting-edge technology like 3D metal printing to redefining...
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83. Crafting Success: Insights from Barry Walter Jr. on Company Culture
Machine Shop Mastery
In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sat down with Barry Walter Jr., and I have to say—this one lit me up. Barry’s a machine shop leader who brings heart, humility, and a whole lot of wisdom to the mic. From rebuilding a multi-generational business to designing a culture where “shit flows uphill” (his words!), Barry has transformed a plumbing parts OEM into an 8-figure, high-mix/low-volume powerhouse with 37 team members, 15 CNC lathes, and a customer service model that makes his buyers the heroes. What struck me most is how intentional Barry is—not just with his machines or...
info_outlineWhat would you do if your very first CNC machine didn’t even power on? For most people, that’s where the story would end. But for Rhys Andersen, it was just the beginning.
In this episode, I sit down with one of the most determined shop owners I’ve ever interviewed. Rhys is the founder of Method Manufacturing in Austin, Texas — and his journey into precision machining is anything but conventional. From wildland firefighting to architecture school to a series of trial-by-fire business ventures, Rhys took the long road to building a thriving aerospace and defense machine shop.
You’ll hear how he bootstrapped his first massive bed mill (without even knowing if it worked), taught himself CNC machining, and slowly transformed a one-machine operation into a fully cross-trained, process-driven company with advanced 5-axis automation.
We dig into how relationships opened doors to major aerospace work, the real challenges of hiring and developing talent, and how Method’s unique approach to systems and autonomy allows his team to perform at a high level — without sacrificing their personal lives.
This conversation is full of practical lessons for any shop owner trying to scale, build processes that actually work, and free themselves from being the “best machinist in the shop.” Rhys’s story is proof that grit, humility, and systems thinking can take you further than raw skill alone.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...
- (0:20) Stay tuned for Top Shops 2025 registration!
- (2:57) Rhys’s background: growing up in fabrication and firefighting
- (5:19) The first business failure and how it led to starting Method
- (9:06) Learning how to machine and going full-time after losing his oilfield job
- (11:27) The mindset of perseverance and problem solving
- (12:37) Buying a machine that was stored in a barn (and fixing it up)
- (15:12) What Rhy’s business looks like present day
- (17:17) Breaking into aerospace: Patience, persistence, and building trust
- (23:16) Lessons learned from hiring mistakes and building a strong team
- (27:40) Achieve on-time delivery with ProShop ERP
- (28:53) Creating a culture of extreme autonomy and flexible schedules
- (31:21) Cross-training machinists and eliminating single points of failure
- (34:14) Using Fulcrum to capture tribal knowledge and improve processes
- (36:58) Changing the perception of machining as a high-tech, creative career
- (41:07) Why shop owners need to get out of the shop and network
- (45:14) The challenge of scaling: building systems that don’t rely on you
- (47:25) Investing in automation to enable growth and better work-life balance
- (50:47) Why investing in branding, photos, and professional image matters
- (54:30) Bringing anodizing in-house to control quality and reduce headaches
- (56:34) What is your entry into the market?
- (58:35) Why you need to Listen to the Lights Out podcast
Resources & People Mentioned
- Fulcrum
- Austin Regional Manufacturing Association
- Stay tuned for Top Shops 2025 registration!
- The Lights Out podcast
Connect with Rhys Andersen
- Method Mfg
- Connect on LinkedIn
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Audio Production and Show Notes by - PODCAST FAST TRACK