What National Machinery does

National Machinery LLC is a privately held US industrial machinery manufacturer founded in 1874 and headquartered in Tiffin, Ohio, specializing in advanced cold and warm forming machinery for the global fastener, bearing, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing industries. The company designs and builds capital equipment — including the FORMAX family (FORMAX 2000, FORMAX Plus, FORMAX XXV), compact machines (LeanFX, PumaFX, Microformers, Lean Header & Threader, FXH Lightning), Bearing Headers, and FORMAX Warm Forming systems — and has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions of SMART Machinery Srl (thread rolling, 2015) and Drawing Technology Inc. (wire drawing, 2025). Its technology stack centers on proprietary mechanical forming processes backed by 800+ patents across 18 countries, including the patented High Pressure Lever (HPL), Blank Rotator, Flashless Ball and Roller process, and patent-pending SMART ReGen direct drive motor and SMART Lube sensor-based lubrication systems, with growing Industry 4.0 connectivity across the FORMAX line.

The company generates revenue through seven distinct streams: new machinery sales, used machinery, spare parts (8,000+ SKUs with same-day shipping and regional inventory in Germany, Japan, and China), machine repairs and rebuilds, technical support (24/7), training seminars (Introductory and Advanced Tooling, FORMAX Maintenance), and process development through its Met-MAX Innovations division. Pricing is quote-based for capital machinery, with services and training operating on per-unit or per-attendee pricing (e.g., $1,200/person seminars). Distribution runs through direct enterprise sales supported by 15 offices and service centers across North America, Europe, and Asia, plus authorized service partners in Brazil and on the US West Coast.

National Machinery has been under concentrated family ownership since 2002, when Andrew Kalnow — a family member of original owner Meshech Frost — acquired the company after a brief closure and renamed it National Machinery LLC. The company is described as 'well capitalized and privately held by an ownership group that is focused on long term growth,' with no external PE or VC investment. Customer mix spans four primary vertical segments (fasteners, bearings, aerospace, industrial manufacturing) served globally across 150+ countries, with no single-customer concentration disclosed and a long-tail enterprise customer base anchored by recurring spare parts, service, and rebuild revenue.

Name

National Machinery

Legal name

National Machinery LLC

Website

https://nationalmachinery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

National Machinery is a privately held, 150-year-old US manufacturer of cold and warm forming machinery for the global fastener, bearing, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing industries, offering a full equipment portfolio supported by process development, training, spare parts, and rebuild services across 15 offices worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Metal Forming Machinery

NAICS

Rolling Mill and Other Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (333519), Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• Cold forming machinery
• Warm forming equipment
• Metal forming solutions
• Cold heading machines
• Thread rolling equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Tiffin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cold and Warm Forming Machinery Sales: Sale of cold forming and warm forming machinery including FORMAX, FORMAX Plus, FORMAX 2000, FORMAX XXV, LeanFX, Microformers, Bearing Headers, and related equipment. Machines range from small headers to large forging machines.
2. Used Machinery Sales: Sale of used and rebuilt National Machinery equipment, including OEM knowledge of machine options, market pricing, and global sales network support for buying and selling pre-owned machinery.
3. Spare Parts: Sale of spare parts for current and legacy machine models. Maintains over 8,000 SKUs in stock with same-day shipping capability, including regional stock at service centers in Germany, Japan, and China.
4. Machine Repairs and Rebuilds: Complete rebuild and repair services ranging from targeted repairs to full remanufacturing, with in-house capabilities in US, Europe, Japan, and China. Options include Fixed Scope Repairs & Upgrades, Partial Fixed Scope Rebuilds, and Complete Fixed Scope Machine Rebuilds.
5. Training and Seminars: Formal training programs including Introductory and Advanced Tooling seminars, FORMAX Maintenance workshops, and process training for operators and engineers. Fees range from $1,200 per person for 2-day seminars.
6. Technical Support Services: Technical support including troubleshooting, repair, machine relocation, and training delivered via remote session or on-site at customer facilities, with 24/7 support available in multiple time zones.
7. Process Development: Metal forming process development services through Met-MAX Innovations division, including feasibility studies, tool design, tool manufacture, development, and limited production running.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Machinery designs, manufactures, and services cold and warm forming machinery used to produce metal parts such as fasteners, bolts, nuts, bearings, and precision components. The company sells machinery (FORMAX family, LeanFX, Microformers, Bearing Headers, thread rollers), provides process development through its Met-MAX Innovations division, and offers spare parts, rebuilds, training, and technical support globally. Products target manufacturers in the fastener, aerospace, bearing, and industrial manufacturing sectors.

Product overview

National Machinery is a global leader in advanced cold and warm forming machinery, offering a comprehensive portfolio of forming equipment. The core product line includes the FORMAX family (FORMAX 2000, FORMAX Plus, FORMAX Plus Large Parts, FORMAX Extra-Long Parts, FORMAX XXV), supplemented by compact machines (LeanFX, Lean Header & Threader, FXH Lightning, Microformers) and specialized equipment (Bearing Headers, FORMAX Warm Forming). The company expanded into thread rolling via acquisition of SMART Machinery Srl (2015) and wire drawing via acquisition of Drawing Technology Inc. (2025). Supporting services include process development through Met-MAX Innovations, spare parts management, machine rebuilds, technical training, and Quikcalc ePlus engineering software. The portfolio is unified by proprietary forming technology with Industry 4.0 connectivity, supported by global service centers in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FORMAX: Line of cold forming machines including FORMAX 2000, FORMAX Plus, FORMAX Plus Large Parts, FORMAX Extra-Long Parts, and FORMAX XXV
• SMART ThreadRollers
• Met-MAX Innovations
• LeanFX
• PumaFX
• Microformers
• Bearing Headers
• FXH Lightning
• Quikcalc ePlus

Products and services

• FORMAX 2000 Ultra precise, high performance cold forming machine with advanced technology, backed by an extended warranty. Core model in the FORMAX product family for manufacturers producing fasteners and precision metal parts.
• FORMAX Plus High performance cold forming machine building on FORMAX technology with enhanced capabilities for demanding fastener and parts production applications.
• FORMAX Plus Large Parts FORMAX variant designed for forming larger parts beyond standard dimensions, addressing manufacturers needing cold forming capability for oversized components.
• FORMAX Extra-Long Parts FORMAX configuration specialized for producing extra-long formed parts, addressing manufacturers requiring cold forming of elongated components.
• FORMAX XXV Advanced cold former with optional robotic tool changer that automates tool/die cassette, IFO camshaft, cutter/quill cassette and transfer slide changes without requiring personnel to enter the die area, improving safety and uptime.
• LeanFX High performance FORMAX-based cold forming machine with competitive pricing for global marketplace applications, assembled at NMGT in China for cost-effective delivery to Asian and global markets.
• Lean Header & Threader Smaller diameter 1-die 2-blow header and threader introduced in 2022, focusing on regional sourcing trends for fastener manufacturers requiring more compact equipment.
• FXH Lightning Smaller diameter 1-die 2-blow header introduced in 2022 at WIRE show in Dusseldorf, Germany, designed for regional sourcing trends and smaller diameter fastener applications.
• FORMAX Warm Forming Specialized machine designed for warm-formed applications using induction heating technology to deform metal at elevated temperatures (200-850°C) for challenging materials including titanium, Inconel, and aerospace alloys.
• Microformers Compact cold forming machines designed for small parts production, addressing manufacturers needing smaller-scale cold forming equipment for miniature components.
• Bearing Headers Machines that form ball, tapered or cylindrical rollers at extremely high speeds with exceptional quality, used by bearing manufacturers for precision bearing components production.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% additional energy savings with SMART ReGen direct drive motor system
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Drawing Technology Inc. (DTI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025National Machinery acquired Drawing Technology Inc. (DTI) in July 2025, expanding capability to offer complete solutions from wire handling to finished precision parts. DTI has been a trusted provider of wire drawing machinery for 25 years, serving automotive, aerospace, construction, and industrial manufacturing industries. DTI continues operations from Rockford facilities.
• SMART Machinery SrlcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2015National Machinery took a controlling interest in SMART Machinery Srl in December 2015. SMART Machinery is a leading thread roller machine manufacturer and pioneer in using servo drive technology, based in Tortona, Italy. SMART provides warm rolling solutions for aerospace materials including titanium.
• Allied Mechanical ServicessecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Established as an authorized service center for National Machinery to help serve the West Coast. Offers machine rebuilds, machine evaluations, field service, and component repairs from Riverside, California.
• SMART Machinery SrlcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSMART Machinery serves as global master agent for the sale and service of SMART thread rolling equipment worldwide.
• Drawing Technology Inc. (DTI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Machinery serves as global sales representative for DTI's line of wire payoff and wire drawing equipment for the fastener and formed parts industry. Relationship established in 2007.
• Cleaning Technologies Group, LLC (CTG)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative to the global cold forming industry for CTG's line of aqueous cleaning and waste minimization technologies.
• Condat CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperative marketing agreement to promote CONDAT's Extrugliss line of dual purpose lubricants to the cold forming industry.
• Mectron Engineering Company, IncsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSince 2004, National Machinery became the exclusive sales agent in Europe, South America, Mexico, Korea, China, and Japan for Mectron's full line of laser and eddy current high speed fastener inspection equipment.
• Star Metal ProductssecondaryOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed partner to manufacture and supply National Machinery transfer slide OEM parts for FORMAX, Boltmakers, Cold Formers, and Cold Nut Formers.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Machinery competitor Waterbury Farrel: Historic cold-heading and forming machinery maker and long-standing competitor in fastener and metal-forming equipment, comparable in core product category.
• Sacma Group: Italian manufacturer of multi-station cold and warm forming machines and progressive headers for fasteners and precision parts; competes head-to-head with National's FORMAX line in the same customer base.
• Hatebur Umformmaschinen: Swiss builder of horizontal cold- and hot-forming presses for fasteners, bearings and automotive parts, directly overlapping National's forming machinery and bearing-header offerings.
• Nedschroef Machinery: European maker of cold-forming headers and threading machines for the fastener industry, competing directly with National's header and threader portfolio.
• Carlo Salvi: Italian specialist in cold-heading machines for small and micro fasteners and special parts, overlapping National's Microformers and small-header range.
• Ingramatic (SACMA Group): Thread-rolling machine specialist that competes directly with National's SMART thread-rolling and pointing equipment for the fastener industry.

Regional players

• Nakashimada Engineering Works: Japan-based builder of cold formers, nut formers and parts formers for fasteners; comparable product line with a primarily Asian customer base.
• Asahi Sunac Corporation: Japanese producer of cold headers and parts formers for fasteners and automotive components, offering products analogous to National's forming machines in Asia.
• Sakamura Machinery: Japanese manufacturer of multi-station formers and bolt/nut forming machinery serving similar fastener customers, primarily in Asian markets.

Broad incumbents

• Schuler Group: Large German forming-technology group offering forging and metal-forming presses across many industries; overlaps National's forming machinery as part of a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-machinery

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 National Machinery