Barron Receives 2nd Lockheed Martin Exceptional Small Business Supplier Award
Oxford, Michigan – Lockheed Martin has named Barron Industries an Exceptional Small Business Supplier for the second time in two years. The Michigan-based metalcasting company is one of 11 small businesses being recognized by Lockheed Martin for making outstanding contributions to critical defense and aerospace programs in 2025.
Barron Industries was awarded for replacing a large-business casting supplier that had been a chronic bottleneck for a decade. Barron not only restored deliveries of the stainless steel 17-4 components for a missile defense program, but it was also able to reduce costs within Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division by $874,000 over two years.
In 2023, Lockheed Martin recognized Barron for its contribution to a rocket-launching system that was experiencing manufacturing delays.
“They required a stainless-steel component that needed to be machine-coated and assembled,” said President/CEO Bruce Barron. “The executives in charge of the projected visited us and we showed them everything we’re capable of doing in-house. Within three months, we delivered machine plated, painted and assembled castings, and we’re still producing those parts today.”
Barron Industries has also been named the 2026 Small Business Manufacturer of the Year for the Michigan and Great Lakes Region by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The recognition reflects more than a century of family-owned manufacturing that started as a Detroit sand casting foundry and grew into a turnkey precision investment casting partner serving aerospace, defense, space, and commercial industries.
Building on that legacy, Barron continues to invest in new capabilities to meet the evolving needs of its customers. Earlier this year, Barron acquired the titanium casting assets of TriTech Titanium Parts LLC in response to customer demand for increased capacity in vacuum-melt titanium castings. The transfer and setup of equipment will be complete and operational in the fourth quarter of 2026.
“Barron Industries is currently setting up a new facility to melt and pour titanium for the aerospace, defense and industrial/commercial industries,” said Barron. “These capabilities will substantially enhance our current operations providing precision machined castings and assemblies to aerospace and defense OEMs from steel, stainless steel, and aluminum-based alloys.”
In addition, Barron’s new $10 Million Aerospace and Defense Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (ADAMTeC) is set to open this fall. The 20,000-square-foot facility will expand the company’s capacity for high-end CNC machining, inspection and non-destructive testing of precision metal components and assemblies.
Barron Industries is also aiming to boost its exports by joining Michigan’s trade mission to Eurosatory 2026, the world’s premier defense and homeland security event June 15 -19 in Paris. It will be one of 12 companies in the Michigan booth at the USA Security and Defense Pavilion. With more than 2,000 exhibitors from 60+ countries and over 76,000 visitors expected, Eurosatory brings together the innovators shaping the future of security and defense.
About Barron Industries
Founded in 1983, Barron Industries is a NADCAP Accredited and AS9100D Certified manufacturer of high-precision Investment Castings, machined components and complete assemblies. Barron offers complete turnkey product manufacturing of components for Aerospace, Defense, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Nuclear, Medical, and other commercial industries. Capabilities include hybrid additive investment casting, design for manufacturing, CNC machining, plating, painting, assembly, laser etching, and custom packaging from our facilities in Oxford, Michigan. Ferrous and non-ferrous alloys poured include Class II armor, stainless steels, tool steels, aluminum, titanium, cobalt, and nickel-based alloys.
About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.