The Reese Machine: Engineering Excellence from a Basement to Big Industry
The Reese Machine Company stands as a classic testament to the power of American grit, precision engineering, and family-driven entrepreneurship. What started as a modest, one-man hobby shop in a residential basement has evolved into an international supplier of high-quality precision components. Specializing in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining, the company has spent decades anchoring vital industrial sectors—including railroad maintenance, chemical manufacturing, and automotive industries. The Basement Blueprint: How It All Began
The story of the Reese Machine Company began in 1976 in Austinburg, Ohio. The founder, Lorain Reese, set up a rudimentary workshop in the basement of his home equipped with just a Bridgeport mill and an engine lathe. Initially, Lorain used the space to craft miscellaneous parts for himself and local friends.
A single request changed the trajectory of the shop forever:
A friend asked Lorain to replicate a specialized pin used on railroad maintenance equipment.
Lorain recognized a severe market gap for high-wear replacement parts in the rail industry.
He began manufacturing these specific components, quickly building a customer base.
As the workload multiplied, Lorain’s wife, Marilyn, and his three sons—Doug, Dale, and Craig—joined the operation. In 1981, Lorain took a massive gamble by purchasing a new Mori Seiki SL3 CNC lathe—the bleeding-edge technology of the era. The delivery salesman was reportedly stunned to find he was installing an advanced industrial machine down a flight of residential basement stairs. Industrial Expansion and Evolution
By 1985, the basement could no longer hold the surging volume of production. The family purchased a commercial facility in Ashtabula, Ohio, allowing them to acquire heavier CNC machinery and expand their catalog.
[1976: Austinburg Basement] ──> [1981: First CNC Lathe] ──> [1985: Ashtabula Plant Opened]
With increased space, the company diversified beyond the railroad sector. They began servicing regional chemical plants and taking on complex custom manufacturing contracts. In 1990, Dale Reese joined full-time after earning his Mechanical Engineering degree from The University of Akron, eventually purchasing the business upon his father’s retirement in 2002. Versatility in Modern Manufacturing
Today, the Reese Machine name is synonymous with reliability and heavy-duty precision. Operating near major industrial parks on State Road in Ashtabula, the shop handles everything from single-piece prototypes to multi-thousand-piece production runs. They are highly regarded for reverse-engineering complex parts from old physical samples or advanced 2D and 3D digital renderings.
The shop routinely manipulates a vast menu of robust materials, including:
Exotic Metals: Titanium, Hastelloy, and specialized tool steels.
Standard Metals: Stainless steel, carbon steel, and aluminum. Synthetics: High-durability industrial plastics. A New Chapter: The GL Power Acquisition
In a strategic move to scale its legacy, GL Power, Inc. formally acquired Reese Machine Co., Inc.. This partnership integrates Reese Machine’s precision manufacturing capabilities with GL Power’s extensive distribution network. Despite its corporate growth, the entity retains its core ethos: providing quick-response turnaround times and robust components that withstand the harshest industrial environments across the United States and Canada. From a subterranean hobby space to a cross-border industrial pillar, the “Reese Machine” remains an enduring symbol of mechanical excellence.
If you are looking to learn more about the engineering sector, let me know: Our Story | Reese Machine Company
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