The funding will support Echo Industries’ investments in new equipment, job training, and advanced military manufacturing capabilities.
ORANGE, Mass.—Echo Industries, a precision manufacturing company that specializes in deep draw metal stamping and machining, was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (MMAP), the company said in a release.
The award was announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) as part of a $3.8 million round of funding to 23 manufacturing companies across the Commonwealth. The competitive funding will help Echo invest in advanced equipment, enhance its workforce training, and scale its capacity to meet growing military and commercial demand, the release stated.
Echo Industries stated that following its recent ISO: 9001 certification, it gained the ability to bid directly on U.S. Department of Defense RFQs. In a short time, Echo secured a surge in military contracts, pushing its machining center to full capacity. By winning this MMAP grant, Echo is in position to invest in strategic upgrades, including new CNC machines, an annealing furnace, a water jet cutter, a collaborative robot (cobot), and a CNC mill controller upgrade, the company said in the release.
“This investment is a game-changer for our team and our customers,” said Echo Industries CEO Scott Leichliter, in a statement. “It enables us to meet growing demand, pursue more complex military contracts, and create more attractive, high-tech jobs for the next generation of manufacturing talent in our region.”
With 11 full-time employees, Echo Industries serves customers in the military, construction, medical device, outdoor, and education sectors. The company stated that its focus on advanced manufacturing and automation aligns closely with MMAP’s mission to support innovation, workforce development, and economic growth in Massachusetts.
“Our new equipment will not only expand our capacity—it will help us run jobs lights out, reduce repetitive labor, and shift our workforce to more skilled, engaging roles,” said Leichliter. “This is how we remain competitive and keep manufacturing strong in New England.”