Cascade Engineering Technologies

What Cascade Engineering Technologies does

Cascade Engineering Technologies (CET) is a privately held precision aerospace component manufacturer founded in 1988 and headquartered in Canby, Oregon. The company manufactures complex, thin-walled, monolithic structures for commercial and defense aviation airframes and engines, with stated commitments to zero quality escapes and 100% on-time delivery. CET's customer base comprises major aerospace OEMs and defense primes, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, UTC Aerospace, PCC Structurals, Insitu, and Primus International, among others, and the company received the Northrop Grumman Platinum Source Award in 2019 and the Portland Business Journal Manufacturer of the Year in 2017.

CET's core technical differentiator is a proprietary metrology-driven manufacturing methodology in which inspection is embedded at every critical step of production. The approach includes a 'Start with the End in Mind' processing framework that verifies component compliance at the raw material stage before machining, as well as specialized capabilities in thin-wall machining control, casting variability management, and hard alloy machining of titanium and inconel. A 4,000 square foot temperature-controlled (68 +/- 1°F) metrology laboratory that is ISO9001 / AS9100 Rev D-registered and NIST-traceable anchors the quality system. Services span precision machining, complex assembly, and supply chain management for finished, assembly-ready components.

The business model is project-based, quote-driven precision manufacturing sold via direct enterprise field sales to aerospace OEMs and defense contractors. The firm operates from a single Canby, Oregon facility with 101-250 employees and is led by founder/owner Dirk Ellis. CET does not appear to be venture-backed, PE-owned, or publicly listed, and no funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes were disclosed in the source material. The company is independently owned and operated, and revenue, ownership structure, and incorporation details are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Cascade Engineering Technologies

Legal name

Cascade Engineering Technologies

Website

https://cet.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cascade Engineering Technologies is a privately held aerospace precision manufacturer in Canby, Oregon, producing complex thin-walled monolithic airframe and engine components for commercial and defense OEMs using a proprietary metrology-driven manufacturing process.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Component Manufacturing

NAICS

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro primary industry

Structural Assemblies & Integration (Airframe Subassemblies) (IMABAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engine Modules & Hot-Section Components (Compressors/Turbines/Combustors) (IMABADAJ)

Keywords

• Aerospace component manufacturing
• Precision machining services
• Complex assembly solutions
• Metrology-driven manufacturing
• Thin-wall machining

Headquarters

HQ city

Canby

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aerospace Component Manufacturing: Manufacturing of complex, thin-walled, monolithic structures for the aerospace industry. Operates as a trusted manufacturing partner providing precision machining and assembly services for mission-critical aerospace applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Cascade Engineering Technologies manufactures complex, thin-walled, monolithic aerospace components (airframe and engine parts) for commercial and defense aviation using a proprietary metrology-driven process that integrates inspection at every critical step of production. The offering spans precision machining (including thin-wall and hard-alloy work such as titanium and Inconel), casting variability management for investment castings, complex assembly and supply-chain management, and metrology lab services, all delivered under ISO9001 / AS9100 Rev D quality systems with NIST-traceable measurement.

Product overview

Cascade Engineering Technologies is an aerospace component manufacturing company offering a unified suite of precision manufacturing services for the aerospace industry. The core offering centers on complex, thin-walled, monolithic structure manufacturing supported by a proprietary metrology-driven methodology. Key services include Critical Applications Machining, Casting Variability Management, Thin Wall Machining, and Hard Alloy Machining (titanium and inconel). The company also provides Complex Assembly Services and operates a Machining Center of Excellence with equipment redundancy. A dedicated 4,000 sq ft ISO9001/AS9100 rev D-registered Metrology Lab with NIST traceability underpins the quality-driven approach. All services are delivered with a 'start with the end in mind' philosophy targeting zero quality escapes and 100% on-time delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aerospace Component Manufacturing Services Contract manufacturing of complex, thin-walled, monolithic airframe and engine aerospace components for commercial and defense customers, executed under a proprietary metrology-driven methodology to achieve zero quality escapes and 100% on-time delivery.
• Critical Applications Machining Mission-critical aerospace component machining with a quality process engineered to deliver zero quality escapes for demanding aerospace applications.
• Casting Variability Management Proprietary "Start with the End in Mind" processing methodology that controls the dimensional variability inherent to investment castings from raw material through finished machining.
• Thin Wall Machining Proprietary machining methodology that enables control of part movement and dimensional accuracy during machining of thin-walled aerospace structures.
• Hard Alloy Machining Specialized precision machining of aerospace hard alloys including titanium and Inconel, protecting high-value raw materials while meeting demanding aerospace specifications.
• Complex Assembly Services Complex assembly and supply chain management that delivers finished, assembly-ready aerospace components to customer specifications.
• Metrology Lab Services In-house 4,000 sq ft temperature-controlled (68 +/- 1 deg F) ISO9001/AS9100 Rev D-registered and NIST-traceable metrology laboratory providing the measurement backbone for the company's metrology-driven manufacturing process.
• Machining Center of Excellence Continuously invested machining capability with equipment redundancy, proactive capital planning, and available capacity to absorb additional aerospace manufacturing workload.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero quality escapes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Klune Industries: Specialty aerospace machining and fabrication company serving defense and commercial aerospace primes with complex, tight-tolerance components. Closely comparable to Cascade in scale, customer mix, and capability focus on difficult-to-machine aerospace structures.
• Whitcraft Group: Specialty aerospace manufacturer focused on complex machined components and assemblies for engine and airframe applications, with overlapping capabilities in hard-alloy machining and AS9100-certified production. Similar size and customer base to Cascade.
• Cox Manufacturing Company: U.S.-based precision machining company serving aerospace and defense primes, with similar complex machining, tight-tolerance, and AS9100-certified capabilities. Closely comparable in scale, customer profile, and specialization in difficult-to-machine materials.

Broad incumbents

• Doncasters Group: Global precision components manufacturer serving aerospace engines and airframes, with deep capabilities in machining, casting, and fabrication. Broader and larger than Cascade, but operates in the same precision aerospace component supply chain with overlapping customer relationships.
• Ducommun Incorporated: Aerospace and defense supplier of complex machined and assembled structural components, including monolithic and thin-walled structures for commercial and military platforms. Larger and more diversified than Cascade but directly overlapping in airframe structural machining.
• Howmet Aerospace: Major publicly traded aerospace component manufacturer specializing in engineered products including titanium and nickel-based alloy castings and machining for engine and airframe applications. Significantly larger and broader than Cascade but directly overlapping in hard-alloy aerospace machining.
• Triumph Group: Public aerospace supplier with capabilities in complex machined components, assemblies, and structures for major OEMs including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. Much larger scale than Cascade, overlapping customer base and capability profile.
• Barnes Aerospace: Division of Barnes Group providing complex machined components and assemblies for aerospace engine and airframe OEMs. Operates at significantly larger scale than Cascade but competes in the same precision aerospace machining supply pool.
• Magellan Aerospace: Public aerospace manufacturer supplying complex machined components, assemblies, and engineered products to engine and airframe OEMs globally. Larger and more diversified than Cascade but overlapping in aerospace structural and engine component machining.
• Senior plc: Public aerospace and defense components manufacturer with precision machining and engineered product capabilities across fluid conveyance and structural components. Larger and more diversified than Cascade, but competes in the same aerospace Tier-2 component supply market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cascade-Engineering-Technologies-829199440480933
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cascade-engineering-technologies-inc-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cascade Engineering Technologies