Paragon D&E
Paragon D&E is a family-owned, Michigan-based specialty tool and die manufacturer founded in 1942 that designs and builds large-format compression, injection, hydroform, and RTM tooling, plus precision machining and NRC/DOE-certified nuclear waste packaging, for aerospace, defense, automotive, heavy truck, and nuclear customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1942
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Paragon D&E does
Paragon D&E is a privately held, family-owned specialty tool and die manufacturer founded in 1942 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a second operation in Brownsville, Texas acquired in 2014. The company designs and builds large-format compression molds, injection molds, hydroform tooling, resin transfer molding (RTM) tooling, and layup tools, and operates a precision machining business with 37 CNC work centers, one of North America's largest double gantry mills, a 3,000-ton compression molding press, and 140-ton crane capacity across a 170,000+ sq. ft. climate-controlled facility. Its customer base spans aerospace, automotive, heavy truck, military defense, nuclear, oil and gas, agriculture, and recreation, with named institutional customers including the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NAC International, Savannah River National Laboratory, Chrysler, and Yamaha Marine.
The company generates revenue primarily through project-based, custom-quoted contracts for design, manufacture, and lifecycle support of specialty tooling and machined parts, supplemented by sales of NRC/DOE-certified nuclear waste containment packages (Models 9979-AF96, 9981-AF96, and Vital), contract and production machining services, mold tryouts, and tooling repair. Pricing is quote-based on specifications, materials (aluminum, steel, Invar, composites), complexity, and production volume, with multi-year program structures. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales through business unit and program managers averaging 25-32 years of industry experience, with no channel partners. The company's competitive position rests on an unusually dense compliance stack (AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ITAR, CMMC Level 2, NQA-1, NIST SP 800-171, NRC, DOE), proprietary patented nuclear packaging technology (U.S. patent granted 2013, 5,000+ Model 9979 shipments to date), and generational technical talent.
Paragon D&E firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paragon D&E
- Legal name
- Paragon D&E
- Website
- https://paragonde.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1942
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Paragon D&E is a family-owned, Michigan-based specialty tool and die manufacturer founded in 1942 that designs and builds large-format compression, injection, hydroform, and RTM tooling, plus precision machining and NRC/DOE-certified nuclear waste packaging, for aerospace, defense, automotive, heavy truck, and nuclear customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paragon D&E industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Tooling and Precision Machining
- NAICS
- Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Precision Turned Product Manufacturing (332721)
- SIC
- Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Injection Molding & Contract Manufacturing (Job Shops/CMs) (IMANAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Precision & Micro Injection Molding (IMANAFAH), Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)
Keywords
Where Paragon D&E is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Paragon D&E business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Specialty Tooling Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of compression molds, injection molds, RTM tooling, hydroform tooling, and layup tools for aerospace, automotive, defense, and other industries. Revenue from prototype to production tooling programs.
- Contract and Production Machining: Precision machining services including boring, milling, gun drilling, 5-axis machining, and large part machining. Both short-run and high-volume production capabilities.
- Nuclear Waste Packaging: Manufacturing and sale of NRC/DOE-certified nuclear waste containment packages (Models 9979, 9981, Vital). Both disposable and reusable options. Limited inventory available for expedited delivery.
- Mold Tryouts and Low Volume Production: On-site mold sampling, tryout services, and low-volume production molding support using 3,000-ton compression press and injection molding capabilities.
- Tooling Repair and Maintenance: Machine tool repair, preventive maintenance, and tooling refurbishment services for extending customer tooling lifecycle.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom tooling projects - quote based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Paragon D&E product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paragon D&E designs and manufactures specialty tooling (compression molds, injection molds, RTM tooling, hydroform tooling, hydroform tooling) and provides large-format precision machining services for aerospace, defense, automotive, heavy truck, and other industrial customers. The company also produces NRC and DOE-certified nuclear waste containment packaging (Models 9979-AF96, 9981-AF96, and Vital Model) with over 5,000 deployments. Core operations are delivered from a 170,000+ sq. ft. facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan with 37 CNC machines, one of North America's largest double gantry mills, and a 3,000-ton compression molding press.
Product overview
Paragon D&E is a diversified tooling and machining company offering a comprehensive portfolio of manufacturing services. Core products include Compression Molding Tools, Injection Mold Tools, Hydroform Tooling, and RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) Tooling, supported by Tooling Repair and Precision Machining services. The company specializes in Nuclear Waste Packaging with three certified product lines: Model 9979 AF-96, Model 9981 AF-96, and the Vital Model for liquid radioactive materials. Service offerings include Contract Machining, Mold Tryouts, Low Volume Production Molding, and Exotic Materials Machining. Operating from a 170,000 sq. ft. facility with 155+ employees and 37 machines, Paragon serves aerospace, automotive, defense, nuclear, heavy truck, agricultural, oil and gas, and recreation industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Compression Molding Tools Large to extremely large compression molds for the plastics industry, designed and manufactured in aluminum, steel, Invar, and composites for simple to complex parts. Served with on-site mold tryout via 3,000-ton press.
- Injection Mold Tools World-class manufacturing of large and extensive injection molds for the plastics industry, including preventative repair, maintenance, and new tooling services.
- Hydroform Tooling Specialized hydroform tooling using up to 25,000 psi pressure to expand and form advanced metals for lightweight vehicles while maintaining required strength.
- RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) Tooling Open and closed RTM tooling providing lower-cost tooling and faster delivery while achieving high-quality standards for stronger, lighter composite parts.
- Tooling Repair and Maintenance Services Dedicated machine tool repair, engineering changes, and preventive maintenance services with swift turnaround through three-shift operation. Extends customer tooling lifecycle.
- Precision Machining Services Full-service precision machining including gun drilling, milling, CNC high-speed finishing, and large 5-axis capabilities with 37 CNC mill work centers and 200,000+ pound handling capacity.
- Nuclear Waste Packaging - Model 9979 AF-96 DOE and NRC-certified Type A package shipping Type A quantities of EU and Plutonium. Features 55-gallon drum (24" dia x 34.5" high), 415 lbs gross weight, max decay heat rate 3.5 watts. Deployed in over 5,000 shipments.
- Nuclear Waste Packaging - Model 9981 AF-96 DOE-certified Type A package for shipping Type A quantities of LEU. Features 25.75" dia x 34.5" high drum, 650 lbs gross weight, max decay heat rate 6 milliwatts.
- Nuclear Waste Packaging - Vital Model DOT 7A Type A certified package for shipping liquid radioactive material. Features 65-gallon drum outer profile, 3-liter payload capacity, 190 lbs empty weight with 140 lbs lead shielding.
- Contract Machining Services Outsourced machining services for projects requiring additional capacity, handling parts from 10 lbs to 210,000 lbs with sizes up to 52 feet.
- Mold Tryout Services Mold trial services using 3,000-ton compression molding press with steam, electric, and oil heat capabilities for evaluating mold function before production.
- Low Volume Production Molding Temporary production capacity and limited production run services for injection and compression molding with final assembly capabilities.
- Exotic Materials Machining Machining services for exotic materials including Inconel, titanium, Invar, stainless steel, syntactic foam, and carbon fiber.
- Production Machining Services Unlimited capacity machining with high tolerance capabilities, virtually no size constraint, on-machine inspection (OMV), and rapid response timing.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,000+ nuclear waste package shipments completed with Model 9979-AF96
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Paragon D&E
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Paragon D&E technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Paragon D&E partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NAC International InccoreStrategic teaming agreement signed May 15, 2025 to collaboratively develop, license, market, produce, and deliver specialized nuclear packaging solutions for government and commercial clients. Paragon brings 14+ years of Type A and Type AF drum packaging experience. NAC contributes 30+ years of Type B cask transport systems expertise. Combined capabilities cover full fuel cycle from medical radioisotopes to spent nuclear fuel transportation.
- Savannah River National LaboratorycoreStrategic partnership for design, testing, and manufacturing of advanced nuclear waste packages including Models 9979-AF96 and 9981-AF96. Joint development of certified fissile material packaging meeting DOE and NRC requirements.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paragon D&E competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NAC International: NAC is a strategic partner and a direct peer in nuclear packaging, specializing in Type B cask transport systems. The 2025 teaming agreement positions the two firms as joint solution providers but also as direct competitors in adjacent nuclear logistics work.
- Hascall Tool & Die: Hascall is a Michigan-based precision tool and die shop producing large molds and dies for automotive and industrial customers. Geographic and product overlap with Paragon make it a closely comparable direct peer in the regional mold-making market.
- Tooling Tech Group: Tooling Tech Group designs and manufactures large compression molds, injection molds, and dies for automotive and industrial customers. It is a direct peer to Paragon's compression and injection tooling business serving similar OEM customers.
- Holtec International: Holtec is a leading supplier of nuclear waste storage, transport, and packaging systems. It directly competes with Paragon in NRC/DOE-certified Type A and Type B packaging and is the most relevant nuclear packaging peer given Paragon's expanding focus on the nuclear vertical.
- Service Tool & Die: Service Tool & Die is a precision mold manufacturer serving automotive and industrial customers with compression and injection tooling. Its product offering and customer base overlap directly with Paragon's core compression and injection mold lines.
- Diecraft: Diecraft is a precision die and mold manufacturer producing stamping dies, injection molds, and tooling for automotive and industrial customers. It is a direct peer to Paragon in custom mold and die manufacturing with similar customer profiles.
Broad incumbents
- Precision Castparts Corp: PCC is a broad incumbent in precision metal components and tooling for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. While much larger and more diversified, it competes for large-format aerospace and defense machining work adjacent to Paragon's specialty tooling offering.
- EnergySolutions: EnergySolutions operates across the broader nuclear services value chain including waste packaging, decommissioning, and transport. It is comparable as a broad incumbent nuclear services peer rather than a focused packaging competitor.
- Curtiss-Wright Corporation: Curtiss-Wright supplies precision-engineered components and systems for defense, nuclear, and aerospace markets. It is comparable to Paragon as a broad incumbent with overlapping certifications (NQA-1, ITAR) and serves many of the same nuclear and defense customers.
Emerging players
- Hayward Tyler: Hayward Tyler manufactures specialty pumps and components for nuclear, defense, and industrial markets. It is comparable as an emerging peer in the nuclear industrial supply chain with overlapping quality certifications and nuclear customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Paragon D&E social profiles
Digital presenceParagon D&E compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Paragon D&E financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paragon D&E leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Paragon D&E subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Paragon D&E funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paragon D&E M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paragon D&E
What does Paragon D&E do?
Paragon D&E designs and manufactures specialty tooling (compression molds, injection molds, RTM tooling, hydroform tooling, hydroform tooling) and provides large-format precision machining services for aerospace, defense, automotive, heavy truck, and other industrial customers. The company also produces NRC and DOE-certified nuclear waste containment packaging (Models 9979-AF96, 9981-AF96, and Vital Model) with over 5,000 deployments. Core operations are delivered from a 170,000+ sq. ft. facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan with 37 CNC machines, one of North America's largest double gantry mills, and a 3,000-ton compression molding press.
Is Paragon D&E a public or private company?
Paragon D&E is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Paragon D&E founded?
Paragon D&E was founded in 1942. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Paragon D&E based?
Paragon D&E is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paragon D&E make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Specialty Tooling Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are contract and Production Machining, nuclear Waste Packaging, mold Tryouts and Low Volume Production and tooling Repair and Maintenance.
Who are Paragon D&E's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NAC International, Hascall Tool & Die, Tooling Tech Group, Holtec International, Service Tool & Die and Diecraft. Broad incumbents are Precision Castparts Corp, EnergySolutions and Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Hayward Tyler is listed as an emerging player.
Does Paragon D&E have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paragon D&E.
What industry is Paragon D&E in?
Paragon D&E's product category is Specialty Tooling and Precision Machining. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAFAJ, Custom Injection Molding & Contract Manufacturing (Job Shops/CMs), with a secondary code of IMANAFAH, Precision & Micro Injection Molding. Its NAICS code is 333517 and its SIC code is 3559.