Buying a machine shop from the outside can sound intimidating. For Nik and Aaron of Mahler Machining, it was also an opportunity.
In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, Paul sits down with the two partners who acquired a precision machining business in Vancouver, British Columbia after spending nearly a decade in corporate finance and private equity. Instead of continuing to advise businesses from the outside, they decided to own and operate one themselves. Their search led them to manufacturing, and ultimately to Mahler Machining, a shop they believed had the foundation to grow into something much larger.
What makes this conversation especially valuable is the playbook they share for buying a machine shop the right way. From structuring the deal with the retiring owners, to spending their entire first year on the shop floor learning the business, to intentionally investing in culture, systems, and leadership, Nik and Aaron walk through how they approached the transition. Their story shows how disciplined operators from outside the industry can successfully step into manufacturing ownership while earning the trust of the team already in place.
Since acquiring the business, they’ve implemented major operational improvements, including adding a third shift, investing in new equipment, building a formal sales engine, implementing ERP, and even completing a tuck-in acquisition of another small shop. The result has been consistent growth while laying the groundwork for entry into aerospace and defense markets.
For anyone thinking about buying a machine shop, scaling one beyond the typical owner-operator ceiling, or preparing their own shop for acquisition someday, this episode provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at how thoughtful operators approach the process.
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