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Machine Shop Growth
The Machine Shop Growth Podcast gives a fresh perspective to help you grow your shop by focusing on 3 key factors - Sales, Marketing and Efficiency. For decades the machine shop industry was build on a “good-ol-boys” mentality and was full of great machinists and engineers that made great parts. What has been discovered is many of those amazing shops have plateaued or are starting to decline - because they didn’t put enough emphasis on getting more work and making more money with the work they had.
On this podcast you will hear first hand advice from machine owners and mangers how they are getting more work and how they are making more money. Now let’s Grow Your Shop!
Machine Shop Growth
Episode #10: Is it time to buy a new machine?
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Mike Fritz
When is the right time to invest in new equipment—before the job is booked or after the PO lands?
In this episode, Mike and Kirk are joined by Greg Knox of Knox Manufacturing Solutions to dig into the real decision-making struggles shop owners face every day.
They cover the critical difference between buying for capacity vs. capability, why conservative vs. entrepreneurial mindsets approach machine buying differently, and how to use strategy—not guesswork—to guide growth. Greg shares hard-earned insights from 40+ years in the industry, including”
- How shops are doubling margin with better machine strategy
- Why many shops plateau—and how to break through
- How automation and accessory upgrades can eliminate the need for a new machine
- When off-shifts actually cost more than they help
- Why machine investment isn’t just about parts—it’s about people, culture, and momentum
Whether you're running a small shop or leading multiple facilities, this episode will challenge how you think about growth—and give you new tools to make smarter investments.