What Precision Machined Products Association does

Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) is an international nonprofit trade association serving the precision machined products industry, founded around 1930 and headquartered in Brecksville, Ohio. PMPA represents manufacturing members that produce screw-machined, CNC-turned, Swiss-machined, centerless-ground, and multi-spindle components with tolerances as tight as one-thousandth of an inch, serving aerospace, automotive, medical, electronics, defense, and other demanding end-markets. The organization operates a platform-plus-events model combining year-round digital resources (Business Trends Reports, ITR Economics forecasts, Craftsman's Cribsheets, ListServe Communities, Speaking of Precision podcast, Steel Translator, member directory) with flagship national events (National Technical Conference, Management Update Conference, Mastery Program, and the Precision Machining Technology Show), supported by ten regional chapters across the U.S. and Canada and an affiliated 501(c)(3) PMPA Educational Foundation focused on workforce development.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues calculated on member company net sales, supplemented by fee-based event registrations, paid webinar recordings (e.g., $75 for NTC session replays), and affinity partner programs that deliver discounted services (HR, insurance, industrial supplies, energy advisory, strategy execution) from partners including TriNet, Federated Insurance, Grainger, and Rhythm Systems. PMPA's go-to-market is sales-led and direct: new manufacturing members are recruited via the website and Benefits Overview sessions (booked through Calendly), with a promotional half-off first-year dues offer, then retained through local chapter engagement and the broader association network. The association is led by Executive Director Emily Riley, MBA (appointed August 2025) and Board President Tanya DiSalvo, supported by a small staff of 11–50 employees across functions covering technical services, membership, programs/marketing, and communications.

Name

Precision Machined Products Association

Legal name

Precision Machined Products Association

Website

https://pmpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PMPA is a nonprofit trade association founded circa 1930 that serves precision machined products manufacturers across the U.S. and Canada through membership dues, national events, technical education, peer benchmarking, regulatory advocacy, and an affiliated Educational Foundation focused on workforce development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brecksville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: PMPA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues from precision machining companies. Dues are calculated based on net sales of member companies. New manufacturing members receive a promotional discount of half off dues for one year with full benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PMPA is an international trade association delivering membership services, education, and networking to precision machined products manufacturers. Its product set spans national conferences (National Technical Conference, Management Update Conference), a year-long Mastery Program, podcasts, technical articles and Craftsman's Cribsheets, monthly Business Trends benchmarking reports, ITR Economics quarterly forecasts, ListServe Communities for peer problem-solving, Public Policy Webinars, the Steel Translator tool, and a Member Directory/Find-A-Supplier — all designed to help member shops tackle workforce, regulatory, technical, and operational challenges.

Product overview

Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) is a trade association serving the precision machining industry with a comprehensive suite of member services, educational programs, and industry resources. The organization operates as a platform-plus-events model, combining year-round digital resources (Business Trends Reports, ITR Economics Forecasts, Knowledge Centers, ListServe Communities, Podcasts, Craftsman's Cribsheets) with flagship national events (National Technical Conference, Management Update Conference, Mastery Program, PMTS trade show). Key digital tools include the Steel Translator for material specifications and the Member Directory/Buyers Guide. The association also provides Public Policy Webinars, affinity partner programs, and chapter-based local events across the U.S. and Canada. PMPA's educational content spans technical machining topics, business leadership, workforce development, and regulatory compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Technical Conference (NTC) Annual technical conference delivering educational sessions and workshops on CNC programming, threading, quality control, and shop operations for precision machining professionals.
• Management Update Conference Annual conference for precision machining company leaders covering business leadership, management practices, and industry trends.
• Mastery Program One-year intensive professional development program held annually in Chicago for precision machining professionals.
• Speaking of Precision Podcast Podcast series covering technical machining discussions, industry trends, leadership insights, and workforce development for the precision machining industry.
• Craftsman's Cribsheets Technical reference documents and videos covering machining topics including G-code macros, ISO threading identification, and milling identification for precision machining professionals.
• PMPA Business Trends Reports Monthly business sentiment index and trend reports providing peer benchmarking data on sales, profits, capital spending, and employment sentiment for member precision machining companies.
• ITR Economics Forecast Reports Quarterly economic forecast reports providing insight into eight industries that drive precision machining shops, helping members plan for market conditions.
• ListServe Communities Online member communities offering discussion threads, libraries, member directories, and mobile app access for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing across Technical, Quality, HR, IT, and Corporate topics.
• Public Policy Webinars Monthly webinars with Inside Beltway covering manufacturing policy, taxes, tariffs, regulations, and policy updates affecting precision machining shops.
• Knowledge Centers Resource libraries organized by topic (Business/Continuous Improvement, Engineering Materials, HR/Workforce, Leadership, Quality, Regulatory, Safety, Shop Floor Operations) and format (Articles, Cribsheets, Reports, Podcasts).
• Steel Translator Online tool for translating foreign steel designations to nominal U.S. steel grades for procurement and specification purposes.
• Member Directory / Find-A-Supplier Online searchable directory helping users find contract manufacturers and industry suppliers within the PMPA membership.
• Estimating Methods Library Technical resource library providing step-by-step estimating guides for multiple spindle automatic screw machines, Swiss type machines, and single spindle machines.
• Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS) Trade show focused on precision machining technology, held in conjunction with the National Technical Conference.
• Affinity Partners Program Program providing PMPA members with discounted access to partner services including HR solutions (TriNet), energy advisory, insurance, industrial supplies (Grainger), and business tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• March 2026 Business Trends Index reached all-time high of 193, with May 2026 at 188
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rhythm SystemscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 March 2026Rhythm Systems, a strategy execution software and methodology company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was named an affinity partner of PMPA. The partnership provides PMPA member companies access to Rhythm's platform combining software, coaching, and methodology to improve strategic alignment and operational accountability. Several PMPA member companies already use Rhythm's execution tools.
• TriNetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTriNet provides comprehensive HR solutions as an affinity partner to PMPA members, offering discounted access to HR services including benefits administration, payroll, and compliance support.
• Federated InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederated Insurance provides insurance solutions tailored for association members, offering property, liability, and workers compensation coverage specific to manufacturing operations.
• GraingerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrainger provides industrial supplies and equipment access for PMPA members through the affinity partnership program.
• PartnerShipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnerShip provides shipping and logistics solutions as an affinity partner to PMPA member companies.
• Batteries PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBatteries Plus provides batteries and lighting products as an affinity partner to PMPA member companies.
• Information Discovery Services (IDS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInformation Discovery Services provides data and information solutions as an affinity partner to PMPA members.
• 5 Energy Advisory ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner5 Energy Advisory Services provides energy consulting and advisory solutions as an affinity partner to PMPA member companies.
• Inside BeltwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInside Beltway is a nonpartisan lobbying and strategic consulting firm in Washington, D.C. founded by Omar Nashashibi in 2005. The firm provides PMPA with monthly Public Policy Webinars covering manufacturing policy, taxes, tariffs, regulations, trade, and supply chain issues. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1995, Nashashibi previously worked for the Office of Management and Budget and a large multi-state law firm.
• ITR EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITR Economics provides quarterly forecast reports that give insight into eight industries that are primary drivers of PMPA member shops' success. The reports analyze economic patterns and provide actionable forecasts for precision machining industry planning.
• PMPA Educational FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PMPA Educational Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) specifically established to support the precision machining industry's workforce needs. In 2026, the foundation launched a strategic plan to develop training initiatives, partnerships with educators, and industry-aligned programs to strengthen pathways into the machining trade.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): Largest U.S. industry trade association representing all manufacturers. Competes with PMPA for members on federal advocacy, tax, and trade-policy issues, but at a much broader industry level rather than a precision-machining specialist niche.
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME): Larger, broad-based professional society serving manufacturing engineers across disciplines. Overlaps with PMPA on technical training, certifications, and events (FABTECH), but covers manufacturing more broadly than PMPA's precision-machining vertical.
• American Society for Quality (ASQ): Membership association focused on quality and continuous improvement in manufacturing and adjacent industries. Competes with PMPA's quality-related training and resources for member mindshare at precision machining companies.
• NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): Federally funded U.S. network of centers providing technical assistance to small and mid-sized manufacturers. Highly comparable in target audience (small/mid U.S. manufacturers) and service portfolio (training, benchmarking, technology adoption) but as a public-sector program rather than a dues-funded association.

Direct peers

• Precision Metalforming Association (PMA): Trade association for the metalforming industry, with a U.S. chapter network, technical conferences, benchmarking reports, and workforce development programs — a near-clone operating model to PMPA in an adjacent precision-manufacturing niche.
• Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT): Trade association for the manufacturers of machine tools and related manufacturing technology. Highly comparable to PMPA in membership model, U.S. footprint, and the production of industry-level research and policy advocacy for a niche metalworking segment.
• National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA): Trade association representing the precision metal-cutting and machining industry in the U.S. Closest structural peer to PMPA — both are dues-funded membership associations serving contract precision machining shops with events, training, advocacy, and affinity benefits.
• American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA): Trade association for the gear manufacturing industry — a precision-engineered component vertical adjacent to PMPA's machined-parts membership. Comparable membership, events, standards, and technical training model.
• FMA (Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.): Trade association for metal forming and fabricating with member training, events, and policy advocacy. Similar dues-plus-events funding model and overlapping metalworking manufacturing audience with PMPA.

Emerging players

• FABTECH: North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, and welding trade show organized by SME, FMA, and AMT. Competes with PMPA's National Technical Conference and PMTS for attention and exhibitor dollars from precision machining companies and suppliers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PMPA_ORG
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SpeakingofPrecision
• Facebookfacebook.com/PMPAHQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pmpa-online
• Instagraminstagram.com/pmpanational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Precision Machined Products Association