GLE Precision, headquartered in Bridgeport, Mich., has recruited a proven industrial executive to advise and guide the company through its next growth phase. Alan Shaffer will serve as an advisor to the board of directors. He brings 30 years of operating experience in 13 domestic and international industrial markets while at four publicly traded companies and two private equity portfolio companies.

“Alan is a terrific find for GLE Precision,” Jason Duzan, chairman of GLE, said. “He has decades of experience in leading businesses similar to GLE Precision, including precision manufacturing. He has terrific chemistry with management; his guidance and experience will be invaluable during the upcoming growth expansion that GLE Precision is driving toward.”

Looking for the Right Advisor

GLE Precision has exceeded its growth objective since Colfax Creek acquired the company in 2015 and has developed new precision manufacturing capabilities to become a leader in the medical device, fiber optic, and computer chip markets. With more growth on the horizon, GLE Precision’s leadership decided to add a new board advisor who will counsel us on our sales and marketing initiatives.

“The GLE leadership team was looking for an individual who has a deep and broad exposure to business, one who truly enjoys the challenges of business today, including technical sales and manufacturing,” said Clint Bucholz, president of GLE Precision. “A person that is an individual that has a ‘been there and done that’ portfolio of work experiences. Alan is that guy. It should be a fun journey together.”

An Engineer & a Proven Executive

An engineer by training, Shaffer has used his technical expertise and leadership experience in a variety of domestic and international industrial markets.  These markets included cutting tools, metalworking chemicals, bonded abrasives, carbide wear parts/powered metals, mining and road construction tools, industrial magnets, printed circuit board laminates, metrology and industrial lasers, coordinate measuring machines, machine tools and flexible manufacturing systems, precision press die tooling and plastic mold tooling.

In addition to 30 years of P&L experience, Shaffer has also led the acquisition, restructuring, integration, and operation of 15 companies and the divestiture of seven businesses in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia that totaled $1 billion in revenue. Most of the acquired companies were losing money. Shaffer led the work to turn these companies into profitable businesses.

Shaffer also has experience in private equity, serving on a board of directors and as a business owner. For seven years, he was one of five owners of Starchem Inc., a developer and manufacturer of metalworking chemicals with sales in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and India.

Shaffer held several executive level positions with different companies, including Federal Signal Corporation [NYSE: FSS], American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. [NYSE: AXL] (Blackstone Group portfolio company), and Cincinnati Milacron Inc. [NYSE: MZ], before retiring in early 2015 as president of Dayton Lamina Corporation, a $220 million subsidiary of Misumi Group Inc. of Japan with 14 plants and 1,500 employees.

Guiding GLE Precision

GLE Precision has been going through a rapid period of growth. This has led to many positive changes but highlighted our need for improvement, which has encouraged us to look for another key member of the team. As an advisor to the board of directors, Shaffer will share his considerable experience with GLE Precision’s leadership to help move the company into the next phase and expand its market reach.

“GLE Precision has a tremendous opportunity because of its unique skill set of working with extremely small parts that require a high finish,” Shaffer said. “I am excited to be a part of the growth potential of the business and leverage my experience in sales and operations with similar sized and larger industrial businesses.”

About Colfax Creek Capital

Based in Birmingham, Michigan, Colfax Creek is a private investment firm that invests in“smaller” middle market companies. The firm focuses on consumer product, service, and industrial companies with EBITDA from $2 million to $7 million in the Great Lake states. Colfax Creek brings its investment expertise and collaboration with operating executives and entrepreneurs to build long-term businesses. Jason Duzan, the principal of Colfax Creek, has invested in middle market companies for more than 20 years — leading or co-leading nearly $2 billion in private investment transactions in consumer, service and industrial companies. We develop relationships with business owners and management and focus our capital and resources with a shared purpose of creating lasting value. For more information, visit www.colfaxcreek.com.

About GLE Precision

Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Bridgeport, Michigan, GLE Precision is a manufacturer of extremely high precision products, when gage tolerances, wear properties, and high finishes are critical. GLE Precision is a global leader in tungsten carbide machining, ceramic machining and other hard exotic materials machined to customer specifications. Its products serve the waterjet, medical device, chip/tech, aerospace, fiber optic markets and a broad range of other applications for some of the most recognizable companies in the world such as Johnson & Johnson, Emerson, IBM, and Bosch. For more information, visit www.gle-precision.com.