Success Story: Barron Industries
With MEDC support for a new advanced manufacturing center and international trade, the family-owned metal casting company is growing into a broader role at the heart of Michigan’s defense industry.
Metal casting is a core industrial technology, and the U.S. has seen significant consolidation and offshoring in recent decades, with the number of metal casting facilities in the U.S. falling from 6,150 in 1955 to 1,750 in 2024, according to Casting Source. In Michigan, Barron Industries has defied the trend and built a 100-year history in Oxford, in large part by refusing to stand still.
“One of the central challenges facing the consolidation of the casting industry is the reality that companies must either grow or be absorbed by larger organizations. While small, family-style operations are the foundation of our industry, remaining at that scale is increasingly difficult in today’s environment,” said CEO Bruce Barron. “Long-term stability now requires constant investment in new processes, advanced technologies and business development in order to support the workforce, infrastructure and overhead necessary to meet rising customer expectations.”
Through its collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Barron Industries has secured critical resources to support this growth strategy. As a result, the company projects 20 percent annual growth through 2028, driven by new and expanded partnerships with aerospace and defense manufacturers, overseas sales and new and exotic capabilities.