Hershey's Metal Meister
Forge, formerly Hershey's Metal Meister, is a privately held Mattoon, Illinois-based manufacturer of Variobend USA Single and Double Folder metal folding machines, selling capital equipment and financing to metal trim production businesses in the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersMattoon, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Hershey's Metal Meister does
Forge, formerly Hershey's Metal Meister, is a privately held US industrial machinery company headquartered at 420 Progress Dr., Mattoon, Illinois. Founded in 2016 and operating with 51–100 employees, the company manufactures and sells metal folding machines targeted at metal trim production businesses. Its core product portfolio consists of two lines: Variobend USA Single Folders, designed for single-fold operations in sheet metal trim production, and Variobend USA Double Folders, which offer enhanced capacity for more demanding folding applications. The Illinois facility serves simultaneously as headquarters, manufacturing site, and parts warehouse, with every component of the Variobend USA line reportedly stocked in-house to enable rapid parts shipment to customers and minimize equipment downtime.
The company's revenue model is built on one-time hardware sales of capital equipment to manufacturing and metal-production businesses, supplemented by a financing option to facilitate purchases. Go-to-market is sales-led, with prospective customers directed to request quotes via the corporate website or to contact the sales team directly; supporting digital channels include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, a blog, and an FAQ page. Customers are segmented vertically around metal trim production, and the company's stated differentiators are knowledgeable phone-based customer service, technician dispatch typically within hours for complex issues, and same-day parts replacement enabled by in-house inventory. The company rebranded from Hershey's Metal Meister to Forge and claims 200+ completed projects across its operating history, though it has not disclosed revenue, headcount trend, funding, or ownership details.
Strategically, the rebrand and the introduction of customer financing signal an intent to broaden commercial reach and potentially reposition beyond the founder-tied original identity, while remaining anchored to a narrow two-product industrial equipment portfolio and a single domestic geography. Key gaps in available information include financial scale, ownership structure, leadership team, partnerships, patents, certifications, and any AI/ML capability, all of which constrain deeper financial and competitive assessment.
Hershey's Metal Meister firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hershey's Metal Meister
- Legal name
- Forge
- Website
- https://hersheysmm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Forge, formerly Hershey's Metal Meister, is a privately held Mattoon, Illinois-based manufacturer of Variobend USA Single and Double Folder metal folding machines, selling capital equipment and financing to metal trim production businesses in the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hershey's Metal Meister industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Metal Folding Machinery
- NAICS
- Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351), Rolling Mill and Other Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (333519)
- SIC
- Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sheet Metal Machinery (Laser/Plasma/Waterjet Cutting, Punching) (IMAHADAD)
Keywords
Where Hershey's Metal Meister is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mattoon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hershey's Metal Meister business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Metal Folding Machinery Sales: Sale of industrial metal folding machines (Variobend USA Single and Double Folders) as capital equipment to manufacturing and metal production businesses. Revenue is generated through one-time equipment purchases, with financing options available to facilitate sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for industrial metal folding machinery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hershey's Metal Meister product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forge (formerly Hershey's Metal Meister) manufactures and sells Variobend USA metal folding machines, specifically Single Folders and Double Folders, designed for metal trim production operations. The company sells industrial folding equipment to metalworking businesses from its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Mattoon, Illinois, and also stocks replacement parts at the same Illinois facility to support installed equipment.
Product overview
Forge (formerly Hershey's Metal Meister) is a metal folding machinery company offering a focused portfolio of two product lines: Variobend USA Single Folders and Variobend USA Double Folders. Both product lines serve the metal trim production market and are backed by the company's customer service, technical support, and parts availability from their Illinois facility. The products are positioned as efficient, high-quality metal folding solutions for customers seeking competitiveness in the metal market.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Variobend USA Single Folders Single folder metal folding machines designed for metal trim production, providing efficient, high-quality bending and folding capabilities for sheet metal processing in industrial and manufacturing settings.
- Variobend USA Double Folders Double folder metal folding machines designed for metal trim production, offering enhanced capacity and functionality for more demanding sheet metal folding applications compared to single folder models.
Quantifiable outcome
- Many issues resolved on the spot through knowledgeable customer service representatives
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hershey's Metal Meister
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Hershey's Metal Meister technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Hershey's Metal Meister partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Hershey's Metal Meister competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cincinnati Incorporated: US-based manufacturer of press brakes, shears, and laser cutting systems. Comparable as a domestic broad incumbent supplying metal folding and forming equipment to North American fabricators.
- Bystronic: Large global supplier of press brakes, folding systems, and broader sheet metal processing equipment. Comparable as a broad incumbent in metal folding/bending machinery serving similar fabrication and trim customers.
- Trumpf: Global leader in machine tools and sheet metal processing including bending and folding. Comparable as a broad incumbent in metal forming equipment with deeper automation and software capabilities.
- Amada: Major diversified manufacturer of sheet metal machinery including press brakes and bending equipment. Overlaps with Forge in metal folding for fabrication and trim production customers.
Direct peers
- HACO: Manufacturer of press brakes, shears, and panel benders. Directly comparable in the metal folding machinery category serving fabrication and trim production customers.
- Durma: Turkish manufacturer of press brakes, panel benders, and sheet metal machinery with global distribution. Comparable in product category (metal folding) and customer base (metal fabricators).
- Salvagnini: Global manufacturer of panel benders and automated sheet metal folding systems. Directly competes in the metal folding machinery category that Forge serves, though with a more automation-focused portfolio.
- LVD Group: Manufacturer of press brakes, panel benders, and shears serving sheet metal fabricators. Directly comparable product overlap in metal folding machinery for similar end markets.
- Variobend: European manufacturer of the metal folding machines that Forge (formerly Hershey's Metal Meister) sells under the Variobend USA brand. Directly comparable as the source of the core product technology and product category.
Emerging players
- JMT USA: US-based seller of metal folding, bending, and rolling machines for fabrication shops. Comparable as a smaller, niche equipment distributor focused on metal folding machinery for trim and fabrication.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Hershey's Metal Meister social profiles
Digital presenceHershey's Metal Meister financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hershey's Metal Meister leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hershey's Metal Meister funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hershey's Metal Meister M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hershey's Metal Meister
What does Hershey's Metal Meister do?
Forge (formerly Hershey's Metal Meister) manufactures and sells Variobend USA metal folding machines, specifically Single Folders and Double Folders, designed for metal trim production operations. The company sells industrial folding equipment to metalworking businesses from its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Mattoon, Illinois, and also stocks replacement parts at the same Illinois facility to support installed equipment.
Is Hershey's Metal Meister a public or private company?
Hershey's Metal Meister is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Hershey's Metal Meister founded?
Hershey's Metal Meister was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Hershey's Metal Meister based?
Hershey's Metal Meister is headquartered in Mattoon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hershey's Metal Meister make money?
One revenue line is on record: metal Folding Machinery Sales.
Who are Hershey's Metal Meister's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cincinnati Incorporated, Bystronic, Trumpf and Amada. Direct peers are HACO, Durma, Salvagnini, LVD Group and Variobend. JMT USA is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hershey's Metal Meister have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hershey's Metal Meister.
What industry is Hershey's Metal Meister in?
Hershey's Metal Meister's product category is Industrial Metal Folding Machinery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAC, Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping), with a secondary code of IMAHADAD, Sheet Metal Machinery (Laser/Plasma/Waterjet Cutting, Punching). Its NAICS code is 33351 and its SIC code is 3540.