Area Tool & Manufacturing Celebrates 50 Years of Manufacturing Reliability
At Area Tool & Manufacturing, we sometimes become so focused on the day-to-day work of delivering quality parts that we don’t always step back and recognize milestones or accomplishments. But this month, we’re making an exception: March 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of our shop.
Reaching 50 years is meaningful for any business, but in manufacturing, it’s a rare accomplishment. The industry has changed dramatically over the past five decades, and countless shops have closed in the face of changing technology or ownership transitions.
That’s why we think our 50th anniversary represents something important for our customers, too. It shows we have both the experience and the stability to remain your dependable manufacturing partner for the long term.
The Early Years: From Garage to Facility
Area Tool & Manufacturing was founded in 1976 by John J. Wehrle and Wayne P. Shumaker. After graduating from high school, Wehrle served in the U.S. Navy before completing his apprenticeship and gaining experience in the industry. He and Shumaker eventually decided to go out on their own, starting in a garage before moving into a dedicated space and officially launching Area Tool & Manufacturing.
Crawford County was a manufacturing hub, and Area Tool grew quickly. John and Wayne soon needed more space and decided to build a new facility. We still operate from that same facility today, with several expansions added over the years.
For all of us at Area Tool & Manufacturing now, we’re still impressed by the leap of faith it took for John and Wayne to start their own shop. They simply had deep confidence that their dedication to quality and reliability would win business over time.
And their decision has had a lasting effect beyond manufacturing. Over the past 50 years, Area Tool & Manufacturing has been a place where people built careers and lives. It’s amazing to consider how many mortgages, car payments, and college tuition payments were funded by work done here. We’re deeply proud of the impact John, Wayne, and our entire team have had on Crawford County.
Our Evolution Beyond a Grinding Shop
When Area Tool began, we were primarily a grinding shop supporting work connected to the telecom industry. That focus served the shop well, but our owners had the vision to know that shops need to evolve with the industry and avoid the risks that come with overspecialization.
Over time, our capabilities expanded to deliver more value to customers. Our facility is now 20,000 square-feet, and we grew into additional machining processes, including milling, turning, and EDM. These in-house services have helped customers simplify their projects, shortening lead times and reducing vendors.
Area Tool Today: A Multi-Process Partner for Low- to Mid-Volume
Today, the shop floor reflects decades of improvement and growth. Precision surface grinding remains a core capability, and we also offer precision machining, wire and sinker EDM, Cerakote coating services, and more. We’ve modernized our quoting and production management processes as well, using digital tools for greater speed and optimization.
The industries we support have also changed over the years. We’ve now grown into a wide range of sectors beyond telecom, including medical machining, oil and gas, and more. New industries bring new expectations and requirements, from materials to documentation. But we’ve always met them by adapting and dedicating ourselves to learning, principles that have continued to drive our success today.
Succession Planning and Stability in a Changing Industry
In 1990, John Wehrle became sole owner of the company. He led Area Tool & Manufacturing for another 21 years, guiding the shop to continued success amid changes in the industry. He passed away in 2011.
Today, the business is owned and led by his daughter Ashleigh Barnes, who became president in 2020. For her, continuing Area Tool’s work is about honoring what her father built.
“My Dad made so many sacrifices and spent so much time building this business,” Ashleigh said. “Not only mastering tool-and-die work, but also teaching himself the ins and outs of running a company. He earned our customers’ trust and created something that mattered. That’s why I’m so dedicated to keeping Area Tool and Manufacturing moving forward.
Succession is a challenge in the manufacturing industry, and many shops simply can’t continue after the loss of an owner or even the retirement of talented long-time employees. We’re proud of how we have maintained stability for our customers over the years.
How We’re Celebrating 50 Years
We are, of course, celebrating our 50th anniversary with a party, because milestones like this should be recognized. But we also wanted to honor it in a way that reflects our values and our dedication to the community. Each month, an employee will select a local nonprofit, and we’ll donate $500 in their name.
We were inspired by another local company, Starn Tool, who did something similar recently when they reached their own milestone. We appreciate their example, and we wanted to carry that practice forward!
Looking Ahead: Embracing the Cutting-Edge
We’re certainly taking time to reflect on our past, but we’re also thinking about what the future holds. From the beginning, John understood that customers benefit when a single shop can handle multiple processes as a true partner. That mindset still shapes our future plans: we hope to fill more customer needs while maintaining our core areas of expertise.
We’re planning to grow our lathe department over the coming years to offer customers more capacity for turning work. And over the long term, we’re always evaluating the latest automated technology as robotics become more effective and advanced.
Above all, we’re committed to evolving. We know the industry doesn’t stand still, and Area Tool wouldn’t be here today if we’d stayed a grinding shop or never advanced past those trusty manual Bridgeport mills into 5-axis machining. Our goal is always to keep improving for our customers.
