Roughly seven years ago, Vivek Sarin stood at a crossroads. Shutting his U.S. plant and moving operations to China would likely ensure continued profitability, yet he was reluctant to abandon the community, country and core customers that had provided the foundation for his business’ success.

Looking back, the president and CEO of Shelby Industries says he is confident that he made the right decision. During the past half decade, the Shelbyville, Kentucky-based operation has kept its doors open and maintained profitability by diversifying its manufacturing capabilities, Mr. Sarin says. The latest example is the acquisition of a Samsung SL25ASY turn-mill from Dynamic International (Pewaukee, Wisconsin), an investment that marked the company’s first foray into advanced CNC machining. Since installation, the machine has not only helped the company become more self-sufficient in manufacturing its core product line, but also helped facilitate its expansion into new markets.

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