America has a long, proud history of machining spanning two centuries. In the hard-working community of La Porte, a city located in northwestern Indiana, there is an American machine shop that also has a history to be proud of. It is a story of hard work and success. It is the story of a machine shop that for four decades has been a part of the American machining tradition.
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Founded in 1979, Winn Machine began life as a welding shop in the small town of Pines, near Michigan City, IN. After a few years, Winn Machine purchased its first manual lathe and began producing turned parts for local manufacturers. In 1985, Winn acquired its first pair of Hardinge single spindle screw machines and due to an increase in work demand, moved into a much larger 10,000 square foot building. Four years after that, in 1989, Winn Machine began making their first investments in CNC machining technology and they’ve never looked back. In 2012 they moved once more, again into a larger facility, from Michigan City to their current location in LaPorte.
Winn Machine continues to invest in automation and precision CNC machine tools.
Current CEO, Damon Gasaway, has been with Winn from the early days. Damon began working for the company in 1987 — mostly sweeping floors, deburring and packing parts, and helping out around the shop where needed. In time, he developed a reputation for dependability and through his strong work ethic became a shop foreman in 1990. In 1999, Damon, along with his wife Dina, finalized the purchase agreement for Winn Machine. Damon takes great pride in employing highly-trained, specialized talent and working hard to keep his team focused on providing Winn clients with quality products and exceptional service.
A company that started as a welding shop with a single lathe machine, now maintains 2 CNC mills, 12 CNC lathes, 2 saws, 2 grinders and employs 13 people. In a very competitive industry, Winn continues to be successful by being responsive and flexible to their clients needs. According to Damon, “Our team members are focused on over-delivering for our clients and working hard to make them happy. This sometimes means we work late and on weekends.” As Damon was told early on in his career, “’Can’t’ never done nothing.” This mentality is ingrained throughout the entire organization.
What’s the future look like for Winn Machine? Well, with the rapid and continual advancements in machining and automation, Damon anticipates seeing growth in production with limited need for hiring. Winn Machine continues to expand their client base into other industries by delivering on their promise of precision-machined parts and excellent customer service. One thing is for sure — America’s machining heritage is alive and well in LaPorte, IN.
