C.L.A. Tools
C.L.A. Tools is a third-generation, family-owned UK precision CNC machining company in Coventry offering 5-axis milling, turning, CAD/CAM programming, and managed subcontract services to automotive, defence, agriculture, and renewable-energy OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersCoventry, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
C.L.A. Tools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- C.L.A. Tools
- Legal name
- C.L.A. Tools Limited
- Website
- https://clatools.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- C.L.A. Tools is a third-generation, family-owned UK precision CNC machining company in Coventry offering 5-axis milling, turning, CAD/CAM programming, and managed subcontract services to automotive, defence, agriculture, and renewable-energy OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
C.L.A. Tools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision CNC Machining Services
- NAICS
- Machine Shops (332710), Cutting Tool and Machine Tool Accessory Manufacturing (333515)
- SIC
- 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
Where C.L.A. Tools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Coventry
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
C.L.A. Tools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- CNC Machining Services: Precision CNC machining services including 5-axis milling, turning, and bar feed operations. Services range from complex prototypes to volume production. Managed services include subcontract processes such as coating, plating, welding, heat treatment, grinding, and casting sourcing.
- Managed Services: Full management of secondary processes including coating and plating (anodising, zinc plating, e-coating), laser etching, wire and spark erosion, welding (TIG), heat treatment, casting sourcing, pressure testing, balancing, and grinding.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
C.L.A. Tools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
C.L.A. Tools is a Coventry-based CNC machining job shop providing precision engineering services including 5-axis simultaneous milling, bar feed turning with live tooling, and CAD/CAM programming for cast and solid parts. The company serves customers from prototypes through low to medium volume production across industries such as automotive, defence, agriculture, and renewable energy. It also manages subcontract secondary processes such as coating, plating, heat treatment, welding, grinding, and casting sourcing.
Product overview
C.L.A. Tools is a precision CNC machining services company founded in 1974, offering a unified manufacturing service rather than a modular software platform. The core offering consists of CNC Machining & Tooling, encompassing CNC Milling (3, 4, and 5 axis), CNC Turning with bar feed and live tooling capabilities, and CAD CAM programming services using Edgecam. These core services are supplemented by managed subcontract services including Coating and Plating, Laser Etching, Wire & Spark Erosion, Welding, Heat Treatment, Sourcing Castings, Pressure Testing, Grinding, and Balancing. The company operates a fleet of CNC machining equipment including HAAS, HURCO, LEADWELL, COLCHESTER-HARRISON, HARDINGE, VICTOR, BRIDGEPORT, PINNACLE, JONES AND SHIPMAN, POWERFIN, and EXCEL machines spanning 3, 4, and 5 axis machining centers, CNC lathes, manual mills, surface grinders, belt linishers, bandsaws, and bending machines. Quality assurance is supported by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications audited annually by BSI, with CMM inspection capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CNC Machining & Tooling Core precision CNC machining service offering 5-axis simultaneous milling and bar feed turning with live tooling for machining cast and solid parts from various materials, ranging from complex prototypes to volume production.
- CNC Milling
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced lead times through CAD-integrated programming and in-house capabilities
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use C.L.A. Tools
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
C.L.A. Tools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
C.L.A. Tools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Trusted Coating and Plating CompaniesminorCLA Tools uses a handful of trusted companies for coating and plating processes including anodising, zinc plating, and e-coating. Certification can be included if requested. CLA manages the subcontract process for quick turnaround.
- Trusted Heat Treatment CompaniesminorMany years experience managing various heat treatment needs with tried and tested companies who can provide certification upon request.
- Foundry PartnerscoreClose relationship with multiple foundries for sourcing castings (cast iron, aluminium, steel) in volumes from prototype to low volume production. CLA sources castings then machines and manages the whole process.
- Grinding PartnersminorSourced for centre-less grinding, cylindrical grinding and surface grinding. Some grinding processes available in-house for small quantities.
- Welding SupplierminorTIG welding outsourced to a trusted supplier with close management for quick turnaround.
- Laser Etching PartnerminorLocal company used for laser etching requirements. CLA manages the process and provides quick turnaround.
- Wire and Spark Erosion ServicesminorWire and spark erosion managed by CLA to ensure quick turnaround to customer requirement.
- Wheel Balancing PartnerminorLong-running jobs such as machining flywheels for JCB and AGCO use local company to balance all parts before supply, ready to fit.
- Pressure Testing ServicesminorPressure testing of machined castings offered as managed process with certification.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
C.L.A. Tools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cromwell Engineering: Mid-sized UK precision machining and sub-assembly business serving automotive, hydraulics and general industrial OEMs with comparable CNC capability and quality accreditations.
- Grainger & Worrall: UK tier-one precision engineering and casting-machining supplier to automotive OEMs; operates in an adjacent casting+machining niche and is listed as a CLA customer, illustrating the upstream/downstream overlap.
- Dawson Shanahan: UK precision machined components manufacturer specialising in tight-tolerance turned and milled parts for similar industries (automotive, hydraulics, electronics, defence).
- Produmax: UK CNC subcontract machining services provider delivering prototype-to-volume precision components for aerospace, defence and industrial customers — direct overlap with CLA's offering.
- Cosworth: UK precision engineering firm producing high-performance automotive components; overlaps with CLA in precision-machined motorsport/automotive parts and is also a CLA customer.
- Ilmor Engineering: UK precision engineering company focused on high-performance automotive and motorsport powertrains; shares customer overlap and comparable precision-machining competence.
- Pentagon Precision Engineering: UK-based CNC precision machining job shop of comparable size offering multi-axis milling, turning and subcontract finishing services to similar tier-one automotive and industrial customers.
Broad incumbents
- Mahle Powertrain: Large global precision engineering and powertrain development business; competes for the same tier-one automotive engineering work but with substantially greater scale, R&D depth and geographic reach.
- Xometry: Global on-demand CNC machining marketplace aggregating job-shop capacity; an emerging channel-based competitor targeting the same prototype/low-volume end of CLA's book of business.
- Protolabs (Hubs): Digital on-demand manufacturing platform offering instant CNC machining quotes; competes with CLA for prototype and low-volume work via automated quoting rather than engineering-led RFQ engagement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
C.L.A. Tools social profiles
Digital presenceC.L.A. Tools compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
C.L.A. Tools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
C.L.A. Tools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
C.L.A. Tools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
C.L.A. Tools 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 C.L.A. Tools
What does C.L.A. Tools do?
C.L.A. Tools is a Coventry-based CNC machining job shop providing precision engineering services including 5-axis simultaneous milling, bar feed turning with live tooling, and CAD/CAM programming for cast and solid parts. The company serves customers from prototypes through low to medium volume production across industries such as automotive, defence, agriculture, and renewable energy. It also manages subcontract secondary processes such as coating, plating, heat treatment, welding, grinding, and casting sourcing.
Is C.L.A. Tools a public or private company?
C.L.A. Tools is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was C.L.A. Tools founded?
C.L.A. Tools was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is C.L.A. Tools based?
C.L.A. Tools is headquartered in Coventry, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does C.L.A. Tools make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CNC Machining Services are the primary driver. The others are managed Services.
Who are C.L.A. Tools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cromwell Engineering, Grainger & Worrall, Dawson Shanahan, Produmax, Cosworth, Ilmor Engineering and Pentagon Precision Engineering. Broad incumbents are Mahle Powertrain, Xometry and Protolabs (Hubs).
Does C.L.A. Tools have an API?
No public API is recorded for C.L.A. Tools.
What industry is C.L.A. Tools in?
C.L.A. Tools's product category is Precision CNC Machining Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAA, CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers), with a secondary code of IMAHADAB, Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures). Its NAICS code is 332710 and its SIC code is 3540.