Machinists-Brand Components
Core Values
Explore What’s Possible
New options:
Drive the Solution
Discover What Works
Value: Ingenuity, Curiosity, Resourcefulness, Thoughtfulness, Creativity, Persistence, Judgment Ingenuity
Value Description: ingenuity + problem-solving
From the way we approach technical challenges to how we work with one another, we think before we act. We ask questions, consider the angles, and make thoughtful decisions about the way forward.
Customer Notes:
This is perhaps the strongest theme in the interviews. One customer repeatedly calls Machinists “miracle workers” and describes them diagnosing a recurring bearing failure others had been unable to solve. Another customer values that they review his designs and provide technical input rather than simply machining what he sends them. Customers bring Machinists unusual, obsolete and highly specialized work specifically because they trust them to find a way forward.
Own the Outcome
Value: Excellence, Quality, Craftsmanship, Precision, Pride, Accountability, Mastery
Value Description: quality + precision + pride
Good enough isn’t good enough. We sweat the details, work to exacting standards, and take pride in getting it right. When something goes wrong, what matters most is how we make it right.
Customer Notes:
Quality is the most consistent positive attribute across all five interviews—even among customers with other frustrations. One customer immediately associates Machinists with “quality.” Another describes their quality as “very excellent” and can’t recall receiving something with an error. Someone else said, his team has yet to receive a part that was even “suspect,” while another says he hasn’t had a repair come back that wasn’t done right.
Tell It Like It Is
New options:
Share What You Know
Be an Open Book
Value: honesty + integrity
We’re candid and realistic about what’s possible, what isn’t, and what it’ll take to get the job done—even when it’s not the answer someone wants to hear.
Value Description: quality + precision + pride
Good enough isn’t good enough. We sweat the details, work to exacting standards, and take pride in getting it right. When something goes wrong, what matters most is how we make it right.
Customer Notes:
One customer specifically praises their salesperson’s “candor.”
Another says Machinists, Inc. is “100% honest,” doesn’t cut corners or “fudge the truth” to win an order, and will tell him outright when they can’t meet his schedule.
Importantly, he considers that honesty a competitive advantage because it allows him to make informed decisions.
Make Collaboration Easy
New options:
Put Partnerships First
Build Through Collaboration
Value: Collaboration, Partnership, Teamwork, Cooperation, Listening, Service, Responsiveness
Value Description: relationships + collaboration
Start by listening. Understand what the customer is trying to accomplish, and work alongside them to find the right solution.
Customer Notes:
Customers repeatedly describe their strongest Machinists relationships in personal terms. One customer says he believes Machinists values the relationship as much as he does. Another describes working “hand in hand” with Machinists during major projects, and their relationship with Washington State Ferries has developed to the point that OEMs trust Machinists with proprietary information and technical support. Another customer similarly describes Machinists effectively looking over his shoulder and helping him improve his designs.
Be the Reason People Stay
Value: Respect, Care, Connection, Kindness, Humanity, Relationships, Community
Value Description: care + respect + connection
We respect the people behind the work. We take care of our employees, support each other, and build the kind of relationships—with coworkers and customers—that people want to stick around for. Machinists, Inc is a place where good people want to do business and build a career.
Customer Notes:
Customers don’t talk only about Machinists’ equipment; they repeatedly name individual experts they rely upon. One customer values the technical guidance he receives. Another calls out their “extreme technical knowledge” and engineering abilities. Liel describes their people as “masters” and subject-matter experts. Several customers are so attached to specific Machinists employees that they express concern about what will happen when those individuals retire.
Melanie: culture is respectful, team-oriented
ROLLOUT CONSIDERATION: Is this the current condition? Not necessarily, but it’s what we aspire to. How these values are introduced and adopted throughout the company matters. Some folks on the shop floor may not agree that this is how we are. We’ll need to consider ways to generate participation and buy-in that this is what we collectively aspire to become. Management included.
Brand Differentiators
We’re not the lowest price, and it’s worth it. We’re not just making parts here, we’re offering our expertise.
We specialize in complexity
Machinists, Inc. has the equipment, capacity, and technical know-how to handle complex manufacturing and demanding requirements.
Customer Quotes:
“My go-to for complex work.”
“They’re almost—and I don’t want to say unequaled—but in my opinion, they’re pretty close to being unequaled in their technical capabilities.”
We understand the whole, not just the part
Our expertise goes beyond machining the part. We understand the larger systems and applications our work supports, and bring that technical perspective to every job.
Customer Quotes:
“I just don’t give them a drawing, and then they just make it from that. They kind of review it. They kind of look over my shoulder…to make sure that it’s going to be the best product.”
“They’re able to give me information that I need to help my design.”
We make high stakes feel less risky
When there’s no room to fail, customers count on our experience, precision, and follow-through to get it right—and sleep better at night knowing we’re on it.
Customer Quotes:
“When I have work where mistakes just simply can’t be made, that’s why I turn to these guys. I know what I’m going to get from them.”
“I tend to do business with people where I sleep well at night… I can’t afford mistakes on certain jobs.”
“Money well spent. They reduce risk.”
We’re seasoned problem solvers
Give us a job that’s unusual, difficult, confounding, or seemingly impossible and we’ll figure out the path.
Customer Quotes:
“We took our broken, dilapidated stuff to them and asked for miracles, and they would give us miracles.”
“I can’t tell you how nice it is to work with people that are problem solvers, not problem creators.”
You may be surprised by all we can do
From sheer scale to technical intricacy, there’s a lot more happening under our roof than meets the eye. Just ask.
Customer Quotes:
“I don’t know that there’s anybody in Puget Sound that can do what they do.”
“They have expertise in areas and competence that we can’t find really too many other places.”
Mission Statement
Current:
“Machinists Incorporated is committed to meeting our customers’ needs and expectations while providing World Class Quality and Service for the best possible value.”
Proposed Options:
Option 1:
To put exceptional skill and capability to work on manufacturing solutions that power, move, build, and connect the world around us.
Option 2:
Machinists, Inc. brings exceptional skill and broad capability together to create manufacturing solutions that power, move, build, and connect the world around us.
Option 3:
Machinists, Inc. brings exceptional skill and capability together to manufacture components that power, move, build, and connect the world around us.
Positioning Statement
CURRENT VERSION
Machinists, Inc. is a trusted partner for custom fabrication, precision machining, and gearing, with the expertise to take on complex manufacturing challenges.
We bring highly technical projects from concept and engineering through final assembly. Whether it’s a single critical component or a massive project, our customers count on us to get it right when the stakes are high.
Five buildings. Four city blocks. One Seattle campus built for projects of exceptional size and scope. But the real advantage is the ingenuity, expertise, and judgment of the people who know how to put it all to work.
Alternative endings for consideration:
Alt ending 1: Seven buildings. Four city blocks. One Seattle campus that combines serious equipment and technology with the ingenuity, expertise, and judgement of the people who know how to put it all to work.
Alt ending 2: Across five buildings and four city blocks, our Seattle campus is built for projects of exceptional size and scope. But the real advantage is the ingenuity, expertise, and judgment of the people who know how to put it all to work.
Personality
The personality is not something that is published, rather it guides the tone and voice for materials and communications.
Credible
The team to trust when there’s no room to fail. We bring the expertise, judgment, and follow-through that lets our customers sleep better at night.
Can-Do
| Proactive problem solvers. Give us a job that’s complex, unique, difficult, or seemingly impossible and we’ll figure out the path. |
Straight Shooter
| We tell it like it is. Candid conversations, clear answers, no runaround. |
Friendly
Approachable and down-to-earth; expertise without the attitude. The kind of people you’d be glad to have as neighbors—welcoming, warm, humble, curious.
Astute
Smart, technically sophisticated, and precise. We see possibilities others might miss and know how to translate our customers’ big ideas into form.
Confident
We know what we bring to the table. Experience and expertise give us an assured approach to even the most demanding work.
COMMUNICATIONS TONE: Expert — confident and capable. What Machinists, Inc. does is cool, exciting, fresh, and always looking to the next challenge. Convey a sense of wonder. Stay humble.
What “Family-owned” means and why it’s important to the MI story:
- Anti-corporate
- Skin in the game
- Leadership knows your name & who you are — employees and customers are not just a number
- Playing the longer game; not managed to quarterly profit reports
- Grandfathers on both sides (Machinists and Gearworks) founded the companies. Third generation.
- Lead by “hands-on” people. Not run by business school guys with no industry experience – our leadership team is people who came up through the industry ranks. Engineers, machinists. Credible.
Potential Taglines
- Part of something bigger
- Making every part count
- Machining mastery
- Capability without compromise
- Precision With Purpose
- Built to Solve