Machine Shop Mastery 101. Extreme Specialization: The Strategy Behind a 123-Person Gear Company
Most machine shops grow by adding capabilities, chasing new markets, and saying "yes" as often as possible. Forest City Gear took the opposite path — and built a 123-person company by doing it.
In this episode of Machine Shop Mastery, I sit down with Kika Young, President of Forest City Gear, to unpack how extreme specialization became the company's competitive advantage. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, Forest City Gear made the intentional decision to focus almost exclusively on one thing: high-precision, loose gears. That focus reshaped everything — from who they sell to, to how they price work, to how they think about growth.
Kika shares the personal and professional story behind that strategy, including the weight of leading a multi-generation family business, navigating serious health challenges within her family, and nearly selling the company before deciding to commit fully to its future. Along the way, she explains why walking away from entire industries was one of the best decisions they ever made.
This conversation is a deep dive into focus as a growth strategy. It challenges the idea that more capability automatically means more opportunity, and instead makes the case that saying "no" — clearly and consistently — can be the most powerful move a shop owner makes.
If you're wrestling with how to grow without losing control, margin, or identity, this episode offers a clear, real-world example of what disciplined specialization actually looks like.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...- (0:00) Introducing Forest City Gear and the idea of extreme specialization
- (2:00) A snapshot of the company today, including team size and what they do — and don't do
- (4:58) The origins of Forest City Gear and how the business first got started
- (7:44) Getting a firsthand look at the quality of SMW Autoblok workholding
- (9:30) Growing from a garage operation into a long-standing precision manufacturer
- (12:21) Kika's path into the family business and early exposure to leadership
- (16:00) Stepping into leadership and taking responsibility for the company's direction
- (18:02) Exploring the decision to pursue a sale — and why it ultimately didn't happen
- (21:02) Where the business stands today in terms of growth, scale, and ownership
- (24:23) What makes precision gear manufacturing fundamentally different from general machining
- (27:30) The core drivers behind Forest City Gear's long-term growth
- (29:59) Why the company intentionally avoids automotive work
- (32:16) Mark your calendars and register for IMTS 2026
- (33:06) Customer diversification and how end markets are chosen
- (34:51) How sales and marketing work in a highly specialized niche
- (37:40) Channels that actually drive demand for precision gears
- (41:03) Understanding the true competitive landscape
- (42:36) Advertising in specialty magazines
- (45:25) Core values and how they show up on the shop floor
- (48:46) Hiring and retention in a specialized manufacturing environment
- (51:44) ProShop can help you achieve on-time delivery
- (52:55) The biggest challenges facing the business today
- (55:01) Leadership transparency during difficult years
- (57:35) How organizational structure evolved as the company grew
- (1:03:29) Advice for shop owners considering specialization as a growth strategy
- (1:06:24) Where to learn more about Forest City Gear
- Check out the SMW Autoblok catalog
- Mark your calendars and register for IMTS 2026
- Your guide to achieving on-time delivery with ProShop ERP
- MPT Expo
- Gear Technology
- Gear Solutions
- Forest City Gear
- Connect on LinkedIn