The year was 1990.
Gas was $1.16 a gallon and the federal debt was at a staggering 3 trillion dollars. My elders were advising me to save my money and start a kitchen garden - I didn’t listen.
Instead, I drained my savings account and started Toolcraft. No, there was no market research telling me that Monroe, Washington was in need of a new machine shop. I just needed a new challenge. |
My first few years were spent making custom precision tools, jigs, and fixtures for big shops. My equipment list at the time was pretty slight: a Bridgeport mill, one manual lathe, a drill press, and a band saw.
A lot of things have changed with Toolcraft Inc. since 1990:
Most importantly, our team has expanded beyond just myself, Karl Niemela, into a large team of dedicated employees who love what they do, including two generations of family working together under one roof. |
OUr Values
While some things change, others stay the same. Our values have remained identical since day one:
Quality |
Partners look to us to deliver quality parts, and we’re committed to doing projects right the first time.
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Customer Service |
Toolcraft is dedicated to communicating with partners early on in the process and consistently throughout.
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Integrity |
When we commit to a project, we’re producing it. If we say something will be delivered on time, our partners can depend on that.
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We pride ourselves on employing an enthusiastic, reliable staff who are committed to doing jobs right and engaging with clients to provide knowledge and support.