Introduce Yourself!
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Hello my name is Kyle Rahe from Michigan. I’ve been in the precision machining industry since high school. 18 years later I started working towards my dream and started my own shop. I opened Lake Ann Manufacturing LLC in 2024 when I purchased my 1st vertical mill.
I’m here to meet more people with the same passion for machining, along with finding new customers.
@Kyle_Rahe Same, looking to meet people. learn. work.
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I am Tara, I used to write for a sourcing journal and now I do a lot of sourcing. Reshoring is hot right now. Looking forward to making connections and learning more about what's possible here.
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I am Tara, I used to write for a sourcing journal and now I do a lot of sourcing. Reshoring is hot right now. Looking forward to making connections and learning more about what's possible here.
@taranickles nice! you can post blogs here and I am sure you will find some great manufacturers to connect with.
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Welcome @taranickles !
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@Kyle_Rahe Same, looking to meet people. learn. work.
@nick-valentine if you are also on LinkedIn I’d would be more then happy to connect. Here is the link to my profile for you or anyone else to connect on LinkedIn as well. http://linkedin.com/in/kyle-rahe-a226b7191
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Hi all! I’m Dave, based in Michigan. I lead sales for two companies focused on helping battery and electrification manufacturers scale here in the US.
EV Recruitment helps fast-growing energy and manufacturing companies hire execs and engineers to build their teams.
MFG2 supports companies looking to localize their supply chain, especially for battery cell and pack assembly, by connecting them with vetted, US-based suppliers.Excited to be here. Always open to talking supply chain strategy, onshoring, or just swapping notes on how we actually build stuff in the US again.
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Hi all! I’m Dave, based in Michigan. I lead sales for two companies focused on helping battery and electrification manufacturers scale here in the US.
EV Recruitment helps fast-growing energy and manufacturing companies hire execs and engineers to build their teams.
MFG2 supports companies looking to localize their supply chain, especially for battery cell and pack assembly, by connecting them with vetted, US-based suppliers.Excited to be here. Always open to talking supply chain strategy, onshoring, or just swapping notes on how we actually build stuff in the US again.
@dave-mcchesney58 Welcome Dave! We're really excited to have you here! NORAMARK works because of participation from the community. thank you for joining!
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Hi all! I’m Dave, based in Michigan. I lead sales for two companies focused on helping battery and electrification manufacturers scale here in the US.
EV Recruitment helps fast-growing energy and manufacturing companies hire execs and engineers to build their teams.
MFG2 supports companies looking to localize their supply chain, especially for battery cell and pack assembly, by connecting them with vetted, US-based suppliers.Excited to be here. Always open to talking supply chain strategy, onshoring, or just swapping notes on how we actually build stuff in the US again.
Hi @dave-mcchesney58 I think everyone is interested in learning more about how to grow the skilled workforce needed. I bet you have a some really valuable insights. Looking forward to hearing more.
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Hi all! Jesse @BetterCNC here! We're a job shop located in Dallas, Texas. Here to just check things out, see what this platform is!
Our big challenge at the moment is finding our first full-time employee besides myself!
Still need to fill out my profile but here's the link for future reference https://www.noramark.com/bettercnc/
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Hi all! Jesse @BetterCNC here! We're a job shop located in Dallas, Texas. Here to just check things out, see what this platform is!
Our big challenge at the moment is finding our first full-time employee besides myself!
Still need to fill out my profile but here's the link for future reference https://www.noramark.com/bettercnc/
Hi @jesse-casto52 , welcome! Looking forward to learning more.
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Introduce Yourself!New here? Welcome! We’re glad you found your way to the NORAMARK Community — the home base for U.S. manufacturers, buyers, builders, and trade orgs.
This is a place to make connections that matter.
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How to Introduce Yourself:Reply below with a few things about you! Here are some starter questions:
• Who are you and where are you located?
• What does your company make or specialize in?
• Are you here to buy, build, supply, learn, or something else?
• What’s one challenge you’re currently facing — or one thing you’re excited about?
• Link to your NORAMARK manufacturer or trade org profile (if you have one)!⸻
🧲 Example:
Hi! I’m Sam from Cleveland, OH. I run a second-gen family shop that specializes in precision CNC for aerospace. Found NORAMARK through a trade org partner. Looking to connect with folks doing additive or hybrid manufacturing. Our NORAMARK profile: https://www.noramark.com/noramark-tier-1-demo-1/
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Don’t be shy — your first post gets you your first badge.We can’t wait to meet you!
Hey everyone — glad to be here and excited to connect with more folks who actually get the grind of U.S. manufacturing.
I’m Zack Markarian, based in Temecula California.
I run American Precision Consulting — we work with machine shops, contract manufacturers, and production teams to solve operational headaches, boost throughput, and scale efficiently. Think of us as a hands-on, no-BS support crew for shops that need engineering horsepower but don’t want to bloat the org chart.
I’m here to build, support, and collaborate. Whether it's a one-off challenge, a shop scaling up, or a team in the middle of a tough transition, I love jumping in and making things work better.
️ Big challenge lately? Helping small-to-mid sized shops stay lean while still hitting aggressive growth or quality goals — especially with internal bandwidth stretched thin.I’m always open to trade stories, share ideas, or kick around real-world problems. Feel free to reach out if you’re wrestling with something or just want to swap notes.
Looking forward to learning from all of you.
— Zack
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Hey everyone — glad to be here and excited to connect with more folks who actually get the grind of U.S. manufacturing.
I’m Zack Markarian, based in Temecula California.
I run American Precision Consulting — we work with machine shops, contract manufacturers, and production teams to solve operational headaches, boost throughput, and scale efficiently. Think of us as a hands-on, no-BS support crew for shops that need engineering horsepower but don’t want to bloat the org chart. I’m here to build, support, and collaborate. Whether it's a one-off challenge, a shop scaling up, or a team in the middle of a tough transition, I love jumping in and making things work better.️ Big challenge lately? Helping small-to-mid sized shops stay lean while still hitting aggressive growth or quality goals — especially with internal bandwidth stretched thin.I’m always open to trade stories, share ideas, or kick around real-world problems. Feel free to reach out if you’re wrestling with something or just want to swap notes.
Looking forward to learning from all of you.
— Zack
@Americanprecisionconsulting It's great to have you here.
Welcome to the community! -
Hi, I’m Jerika Cordell (said like Erica with a J), and I run and own Castle Machine Company, a family-owned machine shop based in Greencastle, PA. We’ve been around for decades, and I recently stepped into the leadership role to continue my family’s legacy after my father passed unexpectedly in 2023.
We specialize in precision machining — from one-off prototypes to small and mid-size production runs — with capabilities in CNC milling, turning, surface grinding, and 5-axis machining. Our team’s strength lies in tight-tolerance parts and problem-solving for customers across industries like aerospace, industrial, and energy.
Right now, I’m here to connect and grow — we’re looking to secure more consistent production work and form partnerships that align with our quality-driven values. One challenge I’m facing is balancing legacy knowledge with modernizing the business for long-term stability. But I’m excited about the opportunity to build something strong that supports both our family and our incredible team.
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Hi @Jerika , welcome to NORAMARK, and thank you for the powerful introduction. Your story really resonates... stepping into a leadership role under such personal circumstances takes courage, and it’s inspiring to see your commitment to carrying the Castle Machine legacy forward.
We’ve seen a lot of manufacturers in the community facing that same balancing act: preserving legacy expertise while modernizing systems and processes. You’re not alone in that, and I think you’ll find some great peers here who’ve navigated similar waters.
Looking forward to seeing more from Castle Machine and finding ways we can support your goals, whether it’s through helping you to find new customers, new partners, materials sources, machines, services, and more.
Glad to have you here!
-Andrew -
Hi all! Jesse @BetterCNC here! We're a job shop located in Dallas, Texas. Here to just check things out, see what this platform is!
Our big challenge at the moment is finding our first full-time employee besides myself!
Still need to fill out my profile but here's the link for future reference https://www.noramark.com/bettercnc/
@jesse-casto52 If you want to, you can post job openings here on the forums. We have a "Classifieds" section. It's very informal, but you can post what you're looking for there with some basic info: https://community.noramark.com/category/11/classifieds
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Hi @Jerika , welcome to NORAMARK, and thank you for the powerful introduction. Your story really resonates... stepping into a leadership role under such personal circumstances takes courage, and it’s inspiring to see your commitment to carrying the Castle Machine legacy forward.
We’ve seen a lot of manufacturers in the community facing that same balancing act: preserving legacy expertise while modernizing systems and processes. You’re not alone in that, and I think you’ll find some great peers here who’ve navigated similar waters.
Looking forward to seeing more from Castle Machine and finding ways we can support your goals, whether it’s through helping you to find new customers, new partners, materials sources, machines, services, and more.
Glad to have you here!
-Andrew@andrew-kornuta Thank you so much — I truly appreciate it. These past two years have been full of growth and tough lessons. I’ve learned the importance of building strong relationships with our customers and the hustle it takes to bring in new business.
Castle Machine Company has always felt like home to me. When I walk out into the shop and catch the familiar scent of metal and oil, it brings me a sense of comfort — it’s the same place my father dedicated his entire career to after graduating high school.
This company helped raise me, and now I hope it will be here to help me raise my kids. I’m committed to honoring that legacy and building a future that’s just as strong.
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Hi, I’m Jerika Cordell (said like Erica with a J), and I run and own Castle Machine Company, a family-owned machine shop based in Greencastle, PA. We’ve been around for decades, and I recently stepped into the leadership role to continue my family’s legacy after my father passed unexpectedly in 2023.
We specialize in precision machining — from one-off prototypes to small and mid-size production runs — with capabilities in CNC milling, turning, surface grinding, and 5-axis machining. Our team’s strength lies in tight-tolerance parts and problem-solving for customers across industries like aerospace, industrial, and energy.
Right now, I’m here to connect and grow — we’re looking to secure more consistent production work and form partnerships that align with our quality-driven values. One challenge I’m facing is balancing legacy knowledge with modernizing the business for long-term stability. But I’m excited about the opportunity to build something strong that supports both our family and our incredible team.
Hi @Jerika welcome to NORAMARK! It's great to see you here. How do you maintain and transfer that legacy knowledge? This is something we are all working on these days.
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Hi Everyone
Alex Huckstepp, co-founder of Uptool. We're building software to help high-mix manufacturers like machine shops run much faster. Happy to join the Noramark community here! -
Hi Everyone
Alex Huckstepp, co-founder of Uptool. We're building software to help high-mix manufacturers like machine shops run much faster. Happy to join the Noramark community here!Hi @alex-huckstepp81 welcome to NORAMARK.
Hi mix is so hard. Can't wait to learn more about Uptool -
Hi, I’m Jason Stidman, the owner of Steadfast Machine. A few years ago, I transitioned from construction and real estate development into manufacturing by acquiring two small machine shops. We retained most of the staff and knowledge from each shop and expanded our capabilities by adding new equipment, enabling us to better serve customers across several industries.
Our current work is a mix of prototype projects and production machining, and we’re working to complete our AS9100 and ITAR certifications, hoping that will open up more customer opportunities.
These days, connecting online seems to have replaced the old ways of simply introducing yourself, making it harder to stand out and reach the right customers, which remains our largest challenge. Despite this, we’re optimistic about overcoming it and excited to collaborate with others in the manufacturing space.
