Born from a Northeastern Ohio tool-and-die maker’s response to failing stock rocker arms in the 1950s, Harland Sharp manufactures aluminum roller-tip rocker arms and other valvetrain parts for racing engines. Still family-owned and operated, the Strongsville company makes every part in the USA, hand-inspects each rocker before shipment, and offers a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects. The business is now carried into its third generation while remaining focused exclusively on rocker-arm development and production.
Sharp Tooling CompanyBorn in a 20-by-20 Buffalo garage in 1959 as Niagara Punch and Die, Sharp Tooling Company now makes customized tooling and close-tolerance machined parts for manufacturers across Western New York and around the world. The company remains a family-run machine shop, with third-generation machinist Jayson Czerniak leading the business after his grandfather founded it and his father Jay expanded it. Its in-house inspection and reverse-engineering work help customers refine existing parts as well as develop new tooling.BUFFALO, NY
Del WestFounded in 1973 by aerospace engineer Al Sommer, family-owned Del West makes precision mechanical components and systems from advanced materials, with a particular reputation for engine valvetrains used in Formula 1, NASCAR, MotoGP and endurance racing. The company now operates four production sites across the United States and Switzerland, applying its racing know-how to high-performance vehicles, Swiss watch cases and components, and aerospace applications. Del West employs almost 300 people and remains under family leadership, with Mark Sommer taking over group management in 2021.VALENCIA, CA
Superior Technology, IncFamily-owned Superior Technology traces its roots to Joe Shortino’s 1964 Rochester screw-machine shop and remains a locally based manufacturer more than 50 years later. The company now produces precision machined parts and assemblies for customers ranging from major OEMs to startups, working from an 81,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility. Its ISO 9001:2015-certified operation is built to support work from prototypes through production while keeping manufacturing in the USA.ROCHESTER, NY