Barron Industries has been named the 2026 SBA Great Lakes Region Small Business Manufacturer of the Year as the Michigan-based manufacturer expands its aerospace and defense production capabilities through investments in advanced manufacturing, inspection, NDT and titanium casting.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Regional Administrator Brad Zaun visited Barron Industries on August 24 at the company’s Oxford, Michigan, campus to present the award to President and CEO Bruce Barron.
The recognition makes Barron Industries the SBA’s top small business manufacturer across the six-state Great Lakes Region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The company was previously recognized as the 2026 SBA Michigan Small Business Manufacturer of the Year.
The award comes as Barron Industries increases its domestic manufacturing capacity for aerospace and defense applications, including the development of a new $10 million Aerospace and Defense Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (ADAMTeC) and the establishment of vacuum-melt titanium investment casting capabilities.
“We are extremely honored to receive this recognition at both the Michigan and Great Lakes regional levels,” Barron said. “This award is really a recognition of our employees. Their skill, innovation and commitment to quality have allowed a small, family-owned Michigan manufacturer to compete successfully on some of the most demanding aerospace and defense programs in the world.”
Expanding Advanced Manufacturing and NDT Capabilities
During Zaun’s visit, he toured Barron Industries’ vertically integrated manufacturing operations, including investment casting, additive manufacturing, CNC machining, inspection and non-destructive testing (NDT).
The company’s new 20,000-square-foot ADAMTeC facility is expected to add approximately $25 million in production capacity and create 50 skilled manufacturing jobs. The facility will expand Barron’s advanced machining, inspection and testing capabilities for mission-critical aerospace and defense components.
“The SBA wants to listen and learn from the small businesses that are the backbone of manufacturing in the United States,” Zaun said. “They are the heartbeat of America, and Barron Industries is a prime example of that.”
Barron is also establishing vacuum-melt titanium investment casting capabilities following its acquisition earlier in 2026 of assets and process knowledge from TriTech Titanium Parts. The investment is intended to address increasing demand for domestically manufactured titanium components.
“Our customers are asking their supply chains to move faster, increase capacity and provide more manufacturing capability here in the United States,” Barron said. “Our investments in advanced machining, additive manufacturing and titanium casting are all aimed at helping meet that need while creating skilled manufacturing jobs here in Michigan.”
Vertically Integrated Manufacturing for Critical Industries
Barron Industries is a family-owned advanced manufacturer headquartered in Oxford, Michigan, with a metalcasting history dating back to 1923. The company supplies precision investment castings, machined components and complete assemblies for aerospace, defense, space, energy and other critical industries.
Its vertically integrated capabilities include design for manufacturing, hybrid additive investment casting, rapid prototyping, CNC machining, NDT, welding and assembly. The company manufactures components using more than 200 ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.
Barron Industries is AS9100D and ISO 9001 certified, Nadcap accredited for NDT and welding, ITAR registered and CMMC 2.0 compliant.
The company’s latest investments highlight the continued focus on expanding U.S.-based aerospace and defense manufacturing capacity while integrating advanced machining, additive manufacturing, inspection and NDT capabilities into a vertically integrated production model.
