PASSING THE TORCH AT AARON MACHINE SHOP by Rennay Craats with Photos by Riverwood Photography
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hen Mohammed Koudmani came to Canada from Syria to marry his sweetheart in 1987, he didn’t speak English and had no idea how he was going to make his mark in this new country. He dove into ESL and high school equivalency courses and college classes, and pursued an interest in languages and history. But when a counsellor asked him what he wanted to do to support his family, he decided to find work in a machine shop to build on the machining experience he had amassed since he was 14 years old. “I had to find a shop willing to take me on as a newcomer,” says Mohammed Koudmani, founder of Aaron Machine Shop. “I worked for three months
for free and eventually the shop hired me. Three months later I was running the place.” Koudmani worked there for seven years before deciding to break out on his own. In 1996, Aaron Machine Shop celebrated its grand opening and Koudmani worked tirelessly to build his business. He handled every aspect of the shop himself, acting as the machinist, welder, millwright, receptionist and customer service representative. After a year, he was able to bring on a part-time helper and slowly hired more staff as business picked up. Within a few years, Aaron Machine Shop ran two shifts of six people in its 3,600-square-foot bay seven days a week to accommodate the demand. And Mohammed Koudmani was involved in all of it.
Aaron Machine Shop • Celebrates 25 Years
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