BERLIN CENTER, Ohio – Ashore Manufacturing Group announced Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of Concept-4.
The transaction marks the beginning of a new chapter for the precision machine shop located at 13940 W. Akron-Canfield Road, with full retention of its existing staff, continuation of its current operations and a roadmap for modernization and growth, a news release states.
“It means a lot to carry on what my father built,” said machinist and diemaker coordinator Mike Pence Jr., son of former Concept-4 owner Mike Pence Sr. “This trade is in our family, and what excites me about the new ownership is their commitment to investing in the people here, through competitive wages, continuing education and the latest equipment.”
Ashore, co-founded by Zachary Woods and Chris Thomas, is actively investing in equipment upgrades, workforce development and process modernization, the news release states. The company aims to “bring manufacturing jobs back ashore to the United States, back into the Mahoning Valley, and build a shop ready to serve the next generation of American industrial demand,” according to its website.
“The Mahoning Valley built this country’s industrial backbone, and it is time to bring this area back to the forefront to once again lead the charge in American manufacturing,” Woods said. “We are here to invest in the right technology and the right people. The name says it all. We are bringing manufacturing jobs back ashore to the United States and back into this Valley.”
According to the news release, Ashore is executing a near-term roadmap focused on quality management certifications and defense contracting readiness, including ISO 9001, ITAR registration and CMMC Level 2 compliance. The company is working with the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network on its AS9100 certification path. These credentials will allow Ashore to layer defense production subcontracting on top of its established tool and die and precision machining foundation.
“Supply chain resilience is a national security issue, and the answer starts with domestic manufacturing capability,” said Thomas, who is also the owner and CEO of Tri-County Tower. “My background in defense and contracting has shown me exactly where the gaps are, and at Ashore, we are positioned to fill them.”
Mike Pence Sr., a lifelong machinist and diemaker who built Concept-4 from the ground up, said the business is in good hands.
“I gave my life to this trade,” he said. “Chris and my son went to grade school together, so handing this to Zack and Chris is not something I take lightly, but the future of this shop is bright.”
Pictured at top: Photo via AshoreManufacturing.com.