Manufacturing Technology

What Manufacturing Technology does

Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) is a fourth-generation, family-owned industrial manufacturer headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, founded in 1926 by Conrad Adams. The company designs, manufactures, and services friction welding machines and provides contract friction welding services globally, with operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and partner coverage across China, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico. MTI's technology portfolio spans four solid-state joining processes—Rotary Friction Welding (Inertia, Direct Drive, and Hybrid variants), Linear Friction Welding, Friction Stir Welding (in partnership with STIRTEC GmbH), and Low Force Friction Welding, in which MTI states it is the only company with machines operating in production today. The company also offers Resistance Welding through its UK-based ProSpot subsidiary acquired in 2016.

MTI generates revenue through three primary streams: capital equipment sales of custom-engineered friction welding machines, contract manufacturing services operated from its 117,770-square-foot South Bend facility and its UK location, and global service and aftermarket parts (including Bronze, Silver, and Gold tier maintenance packages, machine refurbishment, and 24-hour response support). The company sells exclusively through direct enterprise field sales, targeting aerospace, astrospace, defense, automotive, electric vehicles, oil and gas, mining, rail, construction and agriculture, and consumer product OEMs. Customer logos include Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Ball Aerospace, Rivian, Federal-Mogul, and Harbison-Fischer, and the company states all mainstream aerospace engine manufacturers use its friction welders for critical components.

MTI holds NADCAP, AS9100D, and ISO 9001 certifications and DDTC registration supporting ITAR-compliant defense programs, and it cites 100+ years of machine tool design experience, 800+ machines shipped to 35+ countries, and a $25 million aerospace contract among its scale credentials. Recent strategic activity includes the 2022 majority acquisition of Friction Welding Technologies (FWT) in India and the March 2025 strategic partnership with STIRTEC GmbH for global Friction Stir Welding commercialization and the STIRlytics digital process control platform.

Name

Manufacturing Technology

Legal name

Manufacturing Technology, Inc.

Website

https://mtiwelding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) is a fourth-generation, family-owned industrial manufacturer in South Bend, Indiana, that designs and services friction welding machines and provides contract welding for aerospace, automotive, defense, oil and gas, and EV OEMs globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Welding Equipment

NAICS

Welding and Soldering Equipment Manufacturing (333992), Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351), Machinery Manufacturing (333)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Welding, Joining & Soldering Equipment (Arc, Resistance, Friction, Brazing) (IMAHADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Welding, Fabrication & Field Machining Services (On-site) (IMAIACAD), Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• Friction welding machines
• Solid-state joining
• Friction stir welding
• Welding contract manufacturing
• Industrial welding equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Friction Welding Machine Sales: Design, manufacture, and sale of friction welding machines including Inertia, Direct Drive, Linear, Friction Stir, and Low Force Friction Welders. Machines range from table-top models (5T) to the world's largest inertia welder (800/2000B).
2. Contract Manufacturing Services: MTI operates friction welding machines for customers who need parts produced. Services include weld development, feasibility studies, prototypes, and full production. Operates from US (117,770 sq ft facility) and UK locations.
3. Service & Aftermarket Parts: Global service and support including preventative maintenance packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold tiers), warranted parts, machine refurbishment, Windows upgrades, alignment, calibration, and 24-hour response commitment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Manufacturing Technology, Inc. designs, builds and services custom friction welding machines (Low Force, Rotary Inertia/Direct Drive, Linear, Friction Stir, and Resistance variants) for industrial manufacturers, and also operates those machines worldwide as a contract friction welding service from its US, UK and India facilities.

Product overview

Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) is a fourth-generation, privately-held company headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, offering a comprehensive portfolio of friction welding solutions. The core portfolio includes four distinct solid-state friction welding technologies: Low Force Friction Welding (MTI's newest innovation, with MTI being the only company with machines in production today), Rotary Friction Welding (in Direct Drive, Inertia, and Hybrid variants), Linear Friction Welding (including the world's largest LF35-75 machine), and Friction Stir Welding (offered through a partnership with STIRTEC GmbH). MTI's offerings span both products and services: the company designs and manufactures friction welding machines for industries including aerospace, automotive, defense, rail, oil & gas, mining, and electric vehicles; it operates those machines globally through Contract Friction Welding Services at US, UK, and India locations; and it provides Global Service & Aftermarket Parts with maintenance programs and remote support. The STIRlytics digital process control technology (from the STIRTEC partnership) adds Industry 4.0 connectivity to the machine portfolio. With over 800 machines shipped to 35+ countries, MTI also holds NADCAP, ISO 9001, and AS9100 certifications for aerospace quality standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Low Force Friction Welding Machines Custom-engineered friction welding machines that use an external heat source to lower the forces needed for solid-state welds, enabling smooth-flash, low-upset joining of bi-metallics and hardenable steels. Sold to industrial manufacturers for production use.
• Rotary Friction Welding Machines (Inertia and Direct Drive) Solid-state rotary friction welding machines in Direct Drive, Inertia, and Hybrid configurations, including Inertia Friction Welders and Direct Drive Friction Welders sub-lines. Sold across table-top to the world's-largest machine sizes to industrial manufacturers.
• Linear Friction Welding Machines Linear friction welding machines that join components using high-speed linear motion, well suited to non-symmetrical, complex and aerospace components. Sold to industrial manufacturers globally.
• Friction Stir Welding Machines (GG Series and LS Series) Solid-state Friction Stir Welding machines including GG Series (gantry-based for large complex structures) and LS Series (C-frame for long continuous welds on panels), sold via the STIRTEC strategic partnership for rail, aerospace, automotive and defense applications.
• Resistance Welding Machines and Services Electrical resistance welding machines and services offered through the UK-based ProSpot division, expanding MTI's solid-state joining portfolio into resistance welding applications.
• Contract Friction Welding / Contract Manufacturing Services Outsourced friction welding services where MTI runs its own welding machines to produce parts for customers, including feasibility studies, prototypes, weld development and full-scale production across Inertia, Direct Drive, Linear and Friction Stir welding.
• Global Service & Aftermarket Parts Worldwide aftermarket service for installed MTI friction welding machines, including warranted spare parts, tiered preventative maintenance packages, refurbishment, Windows upgrades, alignment and calibration, and remote AR-enabled support.
• Pre-Owned MTI Friction Welders Sale of previously-owned MTI friction welding machines (e.g., Model 120B Inertia Friction Welder) from the secondary market, with factory-supported relocation, setup and servicing to custom specifications.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1 million in cost savings and lead time cut in half for Aerojet Rocketdyne
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered innovation, core, major and regional.

• University of Notre DameinnovationStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MTI is working with University of Notre Dame on a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) project to design and build a full-scale rail joining machine capable of welding a full section on 136-lb rail using Linear Low Force welding technology.
• STIRTEC GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Strategic partnership formalized in March 2025 to expand Friction Stir Welding (FSW) solutions to the global market. STIRTEC is a recognized leader in FSW innovation with the STIRlytics platform bringing advanced industry expertise including high welding speeds, advanced pin tool design, real-time process monitoring, and system performance. The partnership combines MTI's global manufacturing expertise with STIRTEC's FSW process innovation to deliver advanced solutions for next-generation railway, aerospace, automotive, and defense applications.
• Friction Welding Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (FWT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022MTI acquired a majority share of Friction Welding Technologies Pvt., Ltd. (FWT) in 2022 after a successful multi-year partnership formalized in 2017. FWT is based in Pune, India and serves the Asia Pacific region. This acquisition expanded MTI's global footprint and contract manufacturing capabilities in the APAC market.
• Friction Welding Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (FWT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership formalized in 2017 with FWT India, which eventually led to MTI acquiring a majority share in 2022. FWT serves the Asia Pacific region with friction welding technologies and services.
• ProSpot (UK)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016MTI purchased UK-based ProSpot in 2016 to expand its resistance welding services. ProSpot continues to operate in the UK (Staffordshire and Kolárovo, Slovakia locations) as part of MTI's global operations.
• Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014MTI built the world's most advanced Rotary Friction Welder for the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, England in 2014, demonstrating MTI's leadership in advanced friction welding technology.
• AMT Shanghai Technology Service CenterregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005MTI expanded into Asia in 2005 by opening an office in the AMT Shanghai Technology Service Center in Shanghai, China to serve the Asia Pacific market.
• Caterpillar Tractor CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1960AEI (predecessor to MTI) became a supplier to Caterpillar's Inertia Welding department in the 1960s, building specialized welding machines. In 1977, AEI purchased the patents, rights, and manufacturing knowledge from Caterpillar and AMF for flywheel-based inertia friction welding, forming MTI as a separate company.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights11 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mtiwelding
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mtifrictionwelding/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/manufacturingtechnologyinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manufacturing-technology-inc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manufacturing Technology