MAKO Finished Products is a small manufacturer located in a relatively remote southeastern Ohio city of Lucasville. MAKO provides machining, sorting, inspection, packaging, fulfillment, and assembly for customers.

Despite its size, MAKO has some big customers, including Rogue Fitness, a well-known American manufacturer and distributor of gym equipment.

Bringing Manufacturing Back to Ohio
When COVID-19 hit and consumers began to exercise at home, they turned to Rogue Fitness for equipment. Orders came in at high volumes and such a fast pace that Rogue had trouble acquiring the kettlebells previously manufactured in Asia. Rogue turned to solutions closer to home, including MAKO.

Scaling MAKO’s Capacity
MAKO had the ability to create quality products but lacked the resources to take on larger orders. At its previous capacity, MAKO could perform machining work on a limited amount of kettlebells per day.

MAKO had to invest in additional machinery and equipment as well as infrastructure improvements so it could successfully bring on additional clients for continued growth.

Its location in a rural Ohio community and its smaller size helped MAKO qualify for the JobsOhio Inclusion Grant (JOIG). MAKO acquired JOIG support with the help of JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, Scioto County Economic Development Office, and the Scioto County Career and Technical Center (SCCTC), which leases space to MAKO. SCCTC provides real-world application for its students with the MAKO partnership.

Created in July 2020 as part of JobsOhio’s COVID relief programming, the JOIG provides targeted funding for small and medium-sized businesses in distressed areas or businesses owned by underrepresented population groups. This funding assists all Ohioans looking to grow their business so the state’s economy can recover faster and remain strong.

Since receiving the JOIG, MAKO’s additional assets have supercharged the company’s growth. MAKO out-paced its initial projections within one-year of the project’s start. The JOIG support will further help MAKO create jobs, increase payroll, and add tax revenue in the community. Moreover, MAKO is now a part of a new reshored supply chain that brings manufacturing back to the U.S. and Ohio.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are reevaluating their supply chains and seeing the value in bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. Ohio and its businesses are ready to support all reshoring efforts.

For more information contact:
Kristi Tanner
Senior Managing Director
E: tanner@jobsohio.com