York Metal Products has a history in the metal spinning business that goes back to the late 1940s. When Doug Paulson, a mechanical engineer, bought the company in 2000, the Concord, Ont.-based company had a solid customer base and employed some serious spinning talent. And it still does today, but it’s also a very different company. It goes back to a strategic shift York’s leadership made after emerging from the recession 10 years ago.
After Paulson purchased the business in 2000, York added more CNC spinning machines, along with punching, braking, welding, and assembly. All this helped the company grow from $1.8 million in sales in 2000 into a $5.9 million company in 2007.
Then came the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009. When many of York’s customers closed their Canadian operations, annual sales plunged to less than $4.0 million. York’s leaders knew it was time for a change. It was time for new leadership.
Enter Dave Myers and Guy Cavallini, two former automotive executives, along with a few of their associates who expressed interest in leading the business. They had a carefully researched plan for growth, one that would help take the company in a new direction. They wanted to add precision-diameter cylindrical and tubular manufacturing with value-added forming operations.