How MultiSource Manufacturing leverages several technologies to deliver mission critical, high-tolerance parts to its blue-chip aerospace, defense, and medical customers
With an emphasis on customer support and collaboration, MultiSource Manufacturing (MultiSource) is a contract manufacturer offering precision value engineering and fabrication services. With a focus on cslients in the aerospace, defense, medical, and semiconductor sectors, MultiSource’s mission is to deliver critical, high tolerance parts on-time and at the highest quality, every time for its customers.
The company prides itself on an extensive range of technologies and capabilities, offering customers a one-stop-shop to manufacture and assemble these parts for its customers, even when one assembly requires several machining technologies and downstream processes such as bending, plating, or passivating. Tony Hofstede, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, joins us to share the company’s evolution and its latest developments.
“The business was formed in 1998 by an entrepreneur with ambitious, entrepreneurial spirit and a goal to create a company that participated in multiple industries with multiple technologies across multiple locations; hence the name MultiSource,” Tony begins. “By combining various manufacturing and assembly capabilities, the company provides a one-stop solution for all customers’ precision manufacturing needs. We can effectively and efficiently produce anything from a high-tolerance component to a full electromechanical assembly for our customers.
“We have had several years of steady, incremental growth via a handful of different organic levers and 15 acquisitions over the years and look forward to continued growth and capability expansion for our customers.”
Today, MultiSource is the trusted partner for numerous blue-chip original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across its key markets and delivers results through a manufacturing strategy where each of its facilities has precision milling and turning capabilities, and each site specializes in a specific, adjacent technology. One site boasts Swiss machining capabilities, for instance, while another is focused on five-axis milling or electromechanical assembly. All the sites have key certifications such as ISO-9001, 9100, 13485, and more. This means that the company has the certs, sufficient equipment, and expertise across its network of facilities to drive value for customers whatever their requirements. A customer might have 30 components, with ten different geometries and technologies, but MultiSource can use certified sister companies or facilities within its inner company network to achieve the ultimate outcome for the customer.
Tony is quick to highlight that MultiSource’s growth has established the company as a significant player across its target industries with the capability to ramp-up production when required. “With hundreds of CNC machines and a variety of other equipment, we’re able to leverage our facilities and shift labor or use multiple pieces of equipment to produce parts rapidly,” he explains. “As a scaled and fully certified manufacturer, we maintain a large, robust network of vendors from raw material suppliers to those with specialized capabilities. As opposed to smaller companies, we can be selective in the suppliers we choose, creating what we call a ‘best of breed’ system.” 
Part of MultiSource’s customer relationships and collaboration stems from the company’s extensive experience, with many employees having worked at MultiSource since inception. “It’s one thing to have multiple capabilities, but it’s another thing to have the expertise and understanding of how to apply and use these technologies,” Tony states. “Across the team, we have a lot of tenure and therefore a lot of experience to leverage when it comes to customer collaboration and new product development.
“This not only allows us to accelerate the development process, but also means that we can use previous experiences to shape recommendations for our customers. Solving customers’ problems is where we excel, and we often help them figure out how to bring products to market quicker, for example, or how to drive out unnecessary costs.”
Tony also reveals that MultiSource is investing in new machinery and equipment upgrades. “When it comes to new technologies and new equipment, we place customers at the heart of our decision and invest in areas that strengthen the support we provide,” he explains. “While we focus on moving in the same direction as our customers, we also look at adding capacity from a growth perspective. Our biggest investment is in new, higher tech grinding equipment, which will arrive on site later in 2024. This will provide us with tight tolerance capabilities and enable us to manufacture more complex products and ensure we don’t limit customers’ designs. We’re also implementing technologies to improve costs and drive greater efficiency, as well as investing in automation.”
With strategic investments underway, MultiSource is sure to continue its current growth trajectory. “I’d love to see the business double in size over the next five years, and there are many exciting opportunities on the horizon,” Tony concludes. “We will continue to expand our current customer relationships, as well as extending our reach to new areas. We’re also open to acquisitions that are strategic fits for the existing business and will increase our overall ability to support our customers.”