MAKING IT IN HIGH-PRECISION MACHINE SHOP SERVES HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS

By Clark Miller

Seven years ago, Nathan Cox found what he was looking for: his own machine shop. With minimal marketing, Cox Machine, LLC has grown into a go-to option for clients looking for high precision, one-off (or low quantity) production runs. Parts made by the company go into spaceships, satellites, transatlantic cables, and in military applications of all sorts. He counts among his clients Boeing, NASA, Northrop Grunmman, Firefly and Capella Aerospace.

Nathan Cox is a master machinist but has grown into a leader with very clear ideas about running a business.

He likes to be engaged in every level of the company; when he’s not on the phone with customers, he can be found on the shop floor.

“I don’t want to be locked up in an office,” he said. “I answer technical questions, run machines, and when an employee wants to go on vacation, I fill in for him. I want to be the person who’s there to help solve problems. It’s important to me not to have a lot of middle management. Working in other shops, I got tired of getting caught in the middle between the owners and the people who do the work.”

Cox takes a modest approach about growing the business. At this point, he has eight employees assigned to either lathe work or milling. Someday he might add 3-D metal printing because it’s highly flexible and generates virtually no waste. That all the stuff no one else wants to do. It’s lucrative. But to succeed, everyone here has to be on top of their game. I like the challenge.”

At this point he has a cadre of about 50 return customers.

“We do the minimum in terms of combinations of metals.

“It takes a ton of learning and a ridiculous amount of patience to know about the different pressures and temperatures that work and those that don’t,” he said. “You need to know a lot. Some folks think you just set up a CNC, turn it on, and read a book. In this shop, it’s not like that at all.” might mean expanding, but no more than 25% over Cox Machine’s current size.

Cox pays special attention to the overall health of his co-workers. His wife, a licensed therapist, deserves the credit for helping him truly understand and empathize with employees.

“If we get much larger than that, I’d end up with a layer of management between me and the shop floor,” he said.

By design, Cox Machine’s main focus is on specialized orders.

“We’re not set up for mass work. Orders of 1,000 or more parts account for less than 1% of our business,” he said. “Mostly we make prototype runs. So we’re good with social media – just a website and a Facebook page,” he said. “We haven’t had to advertise. People find us through word of mouth.”

It might sound counterintuitive coming from a business owner, but Cox’s idea of success has less to do with making money than it does with love of his craft.

“I made a lot more money at my last job,” he said with a laugh.

He especially likes working with tricky

“I already had pretty good technical skills when I started the company,” he said. “But if you really care about the people, you sort of become a therapist. Everybody’s personal problems are my problems. The machine trade has a tradition of being real gruff and ‘manly.’ That culture can lead to problems like alcoholism and sometimes other forms of addiction. I try to make sure everyone is good to go.”

The Grand Traverse Area Manufacturing Council (GTAMC) sponsors this column. Its mission is to support a sustainable and globally competitive manufacturing sector for a stronger economy; makegreatthings.org.

>> BANKING & FINANCE

2 - Randy Brown , broker/owner of Versatile Mort -

City, has been recognized as “Best of the Best” by United Wholesale Mortgage. With its network of more than 47,000 loan originators, Brown has maintained a production level in the top 1% for four years in a row.

Honor Bank in Traverse City announces the following promotions:

3 - Holly Buda Stewart is now first vice president, head of operations, information technology and compliance. She has been with Honor Bank for many years and joined the senior management team in 2019.

4 - Deidra Charnes has been promoted to vice president, head of talent and culture. She has been the human resources manager for three years and was promoted to assistant vice president in 2021.

5 - Pamm Laing is now executive vice president, senior credit officer. Laing has been with Honor Bank since 1997 and was promoted to a commercial lender role in 2001 and later to senior credit officer in 2016.

6 - Kristen Vigland has been promoted to commercial loan operations manager. Vigland brings years of commercial lending operations experience to the team, after rejoining the bank in 2022.

7 - Alan Zelinski has been promoted to senior vice president, chief lending officer. Zelinski has been with Honor Bank since 2015 and is a long-time lender in the northern Michigan market.

Prout Financial Design in Traverse City announces the following:

8 - Theresa Barton has rejoined Prout Financial Design as data specialist. Barton has a background in client account maintenance.

9 - Melissa Ingwersen has joined Prout’s administrative team. Ingwersen brings years of expertise in business management, customer service and program development.

10 - Nathan Prout has been promoted to financial advisor, having recently passed his Series 65, Uniform Investment Advisor Law Exam. Prout has been with Prout Financial Design since 2014, specializing in insurances, annuities and financial planning.

11 - Meg Rosenberg has joined the client service representative team. Rosenberg brings years of experience in financial services and client relations.

>> HEALTHCARE

12 - Emily A. Dryer, D.O. , has joined Munson Healthcare as a board-eligible specialist in nephrology, seeing patients for kidney and hypertension conditions. She practices at Munson Healthcare Kidney & Hypertension Specialists in Traverse City.

Where Stem Sustains The Planet

The Great Lakes contain 90 percent of the United States’ surface fresh water. Over half of that water is contained in Lake Superior alone.

The IVER 3 is an autonomous underwater vehicle that Michigan Tech researchers use to collect data about the biological, geological, and physical processes taking place below the surface. The IVER 3 can go on missions for up to eight hours and dive to 100 meters, gathering data and images that researchers analyze back in the lab. The more we understand about underwater ecosystems, the better we can protect and preserve all of Earth’s hydrosphere for future generations.

was CFO at Corewell Health-Lakeland Division in Grand Rapids. In addition to his CFO responsibilities there, he also served as the system financial executive for automation, value-based care and physician compensation.

14 - Family medicine physician Joanna Heindl, D.O. , has jo ined Munson Healthcare’s Milliken Medical Group in Traverse City. Dr. Heindl has special interests in geriatrics, women’s health and preventative care.

15 - Family medicine physician Thomas Yax, M.D. , has joined Munson Healthcare’s Milliken Medical Group in Traverse City.

>> NONPROFIT

16 - Sarah Sullivan is the new executive director of Benzie Area Christian Neighbors. Sullivan has broad professional experience in both the non-profit and for-profit business worlds, including directing financial and human resource operations, grants management and budget oversight. Most recently, she was controller for Alward Fisher Attorneys at Law of Traverse City.

17 - Xavier Verna has joined Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City as a major gifts officer. In his role, he will be connecting the passions of supporters to Groundwork’s program areas, including local food, clean energy, and livable community design.

18 - Torey Caviston recently joined the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation as its new youth and community impact coordinator. Alongside this new staff addition, five new community members have joined the foundation’s board of directors: Lauren Clark of Kalkaska County, Jürgen Griswold of Antrim County, Rick Heitmeyer of Kalkaska County, Phyllis Kladder of Benzie County, and Edward Lanphier of Leelanau County.

>> OTHER

19 - Furniture industry veteran Bruce Byl has joined the sales and marketing team at Promethient in Traverse City, focused on business development within the business and residential furniture markets along with the stadium and arena seating markets. Byl is the former president and CEO of one of Steelcase’s largest commercial furniture dealerships.

20 - David Hamm, marketing manager at 911 Restoration of Northwest Michigan, has been appointed to the board of directors of the American Red Cross of Northern Michigan.

21 - Real estate professional Tom LaVelle has joined EXIT Realty Paramount in Traverse City. He brings a background in health care and strong market knowledge to the sales team.

Maxwell Medals & Awards in Traverse City announces the following personnel news:

22 - Matt Demitz has joined the sales team. Demitz brings more than 10 years of sales experience to his new role and is focusing on growing the wholesale department.

23 - Jason Haggard has joined the production team. Haggard’s background in fabrication and CNC operations adds to the company’s in-house production capabilities for custom awards.

24 - Shawn Peck recently celebrated 20 years of service with the company. Peck runs the UV color print operations.

Anderson’s IGA

Aroma’s (West Bay)

Bayside Market

Boone Street Auto

Bunting Market (Cedar)

Fresh Coast Market Folgarelli’s Francisco’s

Grumpy’s Mobil (M-72)

Horizon Books

Maxbaurer’s Market Meijer (Acme)

MI Market (Suttons Bay)

Oleson’s Food Markets

Peninsula Market

Roy’s General Store

Shady Lane Market (Suttons Bay)

All Shell Stations

Terrace Market

Tom’s Food Markets

Village Market (Elk Rapids)

Westside Beverage

CLIENT: TC Curling Center

PROJECT: Recreational / Commercial Building

SERVICES:

Purchasing Broker, Leasing Agent