Looking Back at 2025 — and Building Toward What’s Next at Ripley Machine
As we move into 2026, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year at Ripley Machine — not just to recap milestones, but to share how we’re intentionally building a stronger, more capable manufacturing partner for our customers.
2025 was a year of meaningful progress, record performance, and deliberate investment in people, processes, and equipment. While many machine shops across the industry are focused on maintaining the status quo, we’re focused on building for the long term.
A Record Year, Built the Right Way
In 2025, Ripley Machine achieved the highest sales year in company history. More importantly, that growth came from disciplined execution, operational focus, and a continued emphasis on doing the right work well.
We’ve been especially encouraged by the performance of repeat, production-oriented jobs — the kind of work that rewards consistency, process control, and strong communication between customer and supplier.
That foundation gives us confidence as we continue to grow.
Quality & Process Improvements
Quality has always been central to how we operate, and in 2025 we made significant strides to strengthen that foundation even further.
We continued our work toward AS9100 and CMMC readiness, carefully and intentionally. While certification takes time, our focus has been on implementing the systems and behaviors that those standards require — not just chasing a certificate.
Our Quality Management System (QMS) was overhauled to improve clarity, accountability, and consistency across operations.
We hired a dedicated Quality Assurance Manager, adding leadership and focus to our quality and compliance efforts.
We implemented over 1,400 documented continuous improvements across the shop — small changes that, together, make a big difference in reliability and repeatability.
To support these efforts, we also invested in advanced inspection capability with the addition of a Mitutoyo QV Active Vision System, expanding our ability to measure complex features accurately and efficiently. This enhances confidence for both our team and our customers, particularly on precision and production work.
Building Better Habits: The Daily Drumbeat
One of the most impactful changes we made in 2025 was implementing a Daily Drumbeat — a short, focused daily routine that keeps communication tight and priorities aligned across the organization.
This cadence helps us:
Surface issues early
Reinforce accountability
Maintain momentum on continuous improvement
Stay connected as a team
It’s a simple concept, but it has had an outsized impact on how we operate day-to-day. (You can learn more about our Daily Drumbeat [here].)
Growth in Swiss Turning, Production Turning, and Grinding
Growth isn’t just about revenue — it’s about having the right capacity in the right places.
In 2025, we invested in a Citizen Cincom Swiss-type CNC lathe, expanding our ability to support precision, production-oriented turned components. This investment reflects a broader strategy: aligning our equipment and processes with the types of work where we consistently deliver the most value.
Alongside Swiss machining, we continue to build strength in:
Precision finishing and secondary operations
Our focus is on repeatable, well-defined work where consistency, process control, and partnership matter.
Growing With Purpose
We believe growth should be intentional.
Ripley Machine is a second-generation business with a long history, but we’re also led by a new generation that’s committed to building something durable — a company that customers can rely on not just today, but years from now.
That means:
Investing ahead of demand
Developing people and leaders
Strengthening systems before they break
Being transparent with customers
Supporting our community
In 2025, we were proud to donate a meaningful portion of our profits to charitable causes aligned with our goal of making a positive impact beyond our walls.
Partnering for Long-Term Success
At Ripley Machine, our goal has never been to chase one-off jobs or transactional work.
We believe the best results come from long-term partnerships — working alongside customers who value consistency, communication, and continuous improvement as much as we do. The customers we do our best work for aren’t just placing orders; they’re collaborating with us to improve processes, reduce risk, and build reliable supply chains over time.
That mindset shapes how we invest:
in equipment and capacity that supports repeat production,
in quality systems that scale with customer needs,
in people and processes that emphasize accountability and follow-through.
We’re intentional about the work we take on, because we want to be more than a machine shop — we want to be a trusted manufacturing partner our customers can count on for years to come.
As we continue to grow, that focus won’t change.
Looking Ahead
As we move further into 2026, our priorities remain clear:
Continue improving quality and process discipline
Grow responsibly with the right customers and the right work
Expand capacity where it adds the most value
Be a stable, forward-looking partner in an industry that’s changing
If you’re looking for a machining partner who is investing, improving, and planning for the future, we’d welcome the conversation — whether you’re starting a new program or re-evaluating an existing supplier. Contact Us Today!
