Editor’s note – AIM is celebrating Manufacturing Month in October by profiling Massachusetts manufacturers who are building the future of the state economy.

Technology and innovation are often used as shorthand for new industries like biosciences and software.

But the bulk of research and development in the United States takes place within manufacturing companies, and nowhere is that more apparent than at Kinefac Corporation in Worcester.

A family business now led by AIM director and Executive Committee member Leslie Greis and her siblings, Kinefac is a world leader in precision metal forming and processing technology.  The company designs and manufactures specialty precision machinery that makes everything from bone screws and micro-sized metal coils for the medical industry to high-precision fasteners for the aerospace industry. It is also moving into new markets like microelectronics, additive manufacturing and electric vehicles.

Kinefac employs 55 people at its location on Goddard Memorial Drive in Worcester.

The company’s success over 62 years has been built on a cohesive team of engineers, designers, assemblers, and supporting staff committed to establishing worldwide leadership in numerous niche industrial markets.

Leslie Greis’ parents, Howard and Virginia Greis, founded Kinefac in 1962. Howard Greis was an entrepreneur and prolific inventor who served as a director and vice chair of AIM, as well as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Education.

Leslie Greis, her sisters Carolyn and Noel, and her brother, Frederick, took on ownership of Kinefac when their father died in 2011. The company has grown significantly since then.

“We’ve grown, and that’s a credit to the people here. We’ve grown both internationally and domestically. We’ve made a commitment to technology, so we’ve expanded our lab operations, continuing research and development, which is part of the DNA of the company. We made a commitment to re-investing in the company: You’ll see a couple million dollars’ worth of new equipment and renovations to the plant,” Lesie Greis told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

In March of this year, Kinefac was one of 16 manufacturers to receive a grant from the Massachusetts Center for Advanced Manufacturing (MCAM) as part of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (MMAP). The company is using the award to acquire a state-of-the-art large format thread grinder, enhancing the precision of its grinding process to meet growing customer demands.

Kinefac says the strategic investment aligns with its vision for Industry 4.0 and expanding opportunities in emerging markets like microelectronics.

Ms. Greis says her involvement with AIM reflects the importance of working together to create an environment in which manufacturers can grow and innovate.

“AIM was founded by manufacturing companies in 1915 and the mission to represent the interests of manufacturers remains,” she said.