Starn Tool

What Starn Tool does

Starn Tool & Manufacturing Company is a privately held, family-owned precision machining company founded in 1945 and headquartered across three manufacturing facilities in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The company provides custom component machining from prototype through production, offering 3-, 4-, and 5-axis CNC milling, CNC turning with live tooling, wire and ram EDM, CNC and manual surface/O.D./I.D./centerless grinding (including a Moore Jig Grinder and 18 total grinding stations), and post-machining processing. Its ITAR-compliant, AS9100D-certified, ISO 9001:2015-certified, SAM-registered, DDTC-registered, and JCP-designated operations serve aerospace, government and defense, robotics and automation, oil and gas, manufacturing/tool & die, and metal forming customers through a quote-based B2B model with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) services. The firm also operates the Starn Family of Companies — Mecal by Starn, Starn Technical Services, Penn Weld, and Starn Marketing Group — as wholly-owned sister entities supporting integrated manufacturing capabilities.

The company employs roughly 70 people with an average tenure of 11 years and 236 combined years of management experience. Distribution is exclusively domestic direct sales via RFQ, supported by earned media (Manufacturing Marvels on Fox Business Network, local press), NTMA and Crawford County K-12 career-education partnerships, and an NTMA-registered apprenticeship program with NIMS credentialing. CEO Bill Starn has led the company for 40 years after purchasing it from his father; Willow Peterman (President) and Shawn Schmitz (General Manager) were admitted as partners in 2022 to formalize succession and long-term continuity. Recent milestones include a Q3 2024 grinding facility upgrade, 2025 AS9100D certification, and the company's 80th anniversary.

Name

Starn Tool

Legal name

Starn Tool & Manufacturing Company

Website

https://starn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Starn Tool & Manufacturing is an ITAR- and AS9100D-certified US precision machining shop, founded 1945, serving aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial customers from three Meadville, PA facilities via 5-axis CNC, EDM, and grinding services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Machining Services

NAICS

Machine Shops (332710), Machine Shops (33271)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures) (IMAHADAB)

Keywords

• Precision machining services
• CNC milling and turning
• Wire and ram EDM
• Aerospace component machining
• Prototype to production machining

Headquarters

HQ city

Meadville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Machining Services: Custom component machining from prototype to production. Revenue generated through time and materials pricing for CNC milling, turning, EDM, and grinding services. Customers include aerospace, defense, industrial automation, and robotics sectors.
2. Post-Machining Processing: Secondary processing services including finishing, assembly, and quality inspection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starn Tool & Manufacturing Company is a full-service precision machining job shop that produces custom components from prototype to production runs. Its offerings span 3-, 4-, and 5-axis CNC milling, CNC turning with live tooling, Wire/Ram EDM, CNC and manual surface/ID-OD grinding, jig grinding, and post-machining processing such as deburring and edge finishing. Work is executed across three manufacturing facilities in Meadville, PA and is targeted at aerospace, defense, robotics, industrial automation, oil and gas, and tool & die customers requiring tight tolerances and regulatory compliance.

Product overview

Starn Tool & Manufacturing Company is a precision machining services provider that operates as a single unified offering rather than a modular platform. The core product is component machining services spanning the full production lifecycle from prototype to high-volume runs. The service portfolio includes CNC milling (3, 4 & 5 Axis), CNC turning with live tooling, Wire/Ram EDM, Surface/ID-OD grinding (CNC and manual), and post-machining processing. The company operates three manufacturing facilities in Meadville, PA and serves industries including aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial automation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNC Milling Services CNC milling capabilities including 3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis machining plus manual milling operations for precision component manufacturing, used by aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial customers.
• CNC Turning Services CNC turning operations with live tooling capabilities for complex part geometries and high-precision cylindrical components.
• Wire/Ram EDM Services Electrical discharge machining services including wire EDM and ram EDM for intricate shapes and hard materials that are difficult to machine conventionally.
• Surface/ID-OD Grinding Services Precision grinding services including CNC and manual surface grinding, ID/OD grinding, centerless grinding, and specialized jig grinding for tight-tolerance components.
• Post-Machining Processing Secondary processing services including deburring, edge finishing, and other post-machining operations to complete manufactured components.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lead time reduction on grinding operations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NTMA Northwestern PA ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member and participant in NTMA apprenticeship programs. Starn Tool serves as a training site for Tool Maker and CNC Machinist apprentices. Greg Wasko serves as Trustee of the chapter.
• Crawford County K-12 Career Education AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to educate youth about manufacturing careers through Career Exploration programs including Manufacturing Academy, Passport to Manufacturing, Educator in the Workplace, and STEM programs/camps. Starn donated $800 in September 2025 as part of 80th anniversary celebrations.
• NWPA NTMA (Northwestern PA Chapter NTMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry trade association promoting tooling and machining. Starn participates in events, sponsors activities, and uses association apprenticeship programs.
• InsperityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of 2025 company golf outing celebrating 80th anniversary.
• Mt Hope Golf CourseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue for company golf outing with hospitality and food services.
• NexansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of 2025 company golf outing.
• Mecal by StarncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Starn Family of Companies. Part of integrated manufacturing group with shared resources and cross-training programs.
• Penn WeldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Starn Family of Companies offering welding services as part of full-service manufacturing.
• Starn Technical ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Starn Family of Companies providing technical services.
• Starn Marketing GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Starn Family of Companies handling marketing services. Also website developer for starn.com.
• Crawford County Career & Technical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical education institution. Many employees came through CCCTC programs including Precision Machining. Apprentices often start as co-op students after attending this school.
• NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills)coreTechnology or IntegrationCredentials organization for machining skills. Starn apprentices earn NIMS credentials as part of competency-based certification (minimum 12 NIMS credentials required for program completion).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Impro Precision Industries: Precision machined components manufacturer serving aerospace, medical, and industrial markets with global production footprint. Comparable in tight-tolerance metal components and serves overlapping aerospace and industrial customers, though operating from Asia with a different cost structure.

Direct peers

• Fictiv: On-demand digital manufacturing platform offering CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing services to industrial customers. Comparable in custom precision machined parts, customer-mix orientation, and quote-driven B2B model, but is a software-and-network layer rather than an operating machine shop.
• Protolabs: Digital manufacturing services company offering CNC machined prototypes and low-volume production parts to aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Starn in core CNC machining capability, customer verticals, and quote-based workflow, but operates at much larger scale and via automated quoting.
• MacroFab: Full-service contract manufacturer offering CNC machining alongside PCB assembly and box build for industrial customers. Comparable custom-parts manufacturing service targeting low-to-mid volume production runs for similar B2B customers.
• Quickparts: Custom prototyping and low-volume production service (now under 3D Systems) offering CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing. A direct competitor for custom precision parts and prototype-to-production workflows aimed at aerospace and industrial customers.
• Xometry: Online marketplace aggregating CNC machining, sheet metal, and other custom manufacturing services. Competes head-to-head with Starn for RFQs on custom precision metal parts, including aerospace and defense work, though Xometry operates an asset-light marketplace model rather than in-house production.
• Cox Manufacturing Company: Mid-sized US precision CNC machining shop serving aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial customers with ITAR compliance and tight-tolerance work. Directly comparable to Starn in scale, capability mix (milling/turning/EDM/grinding), and customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace: Global leader in aerospace components manufacturing, including precision machined engine and airframe parts. Overlaps with Starn in precision metal components for aerospace and defense, but operates at massive scale across multiple product lines and geographies.
• Senior plc: International engineering solutions provider serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets with fluid conveyance and structural components. Comparable in aerospace and defense customer overlap and precision manufacturing capability, but at materially larger scale and global footprint.
• Precision Castparts Corp: Diversified aerospace manufacturer (now a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) of complex metal components and parts at substantially larger scale than Starn. Shares aerospace customer overlap and metalworking competency but is a vertically integrated OEM rather than a contract machinist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StarnToolManufacturing

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Starn Tool