AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO OUR SHERLINE CUSTOMERS
More Than 52 Years of American Manufacturing
Sherline is still open, and we are still producing and shipping products.
It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Sherline Products, Inc. has begun the process of winding down manufacturing operations after more than 52 years of serving our customers.
This is not an announcement we ever wanted to make, nor is it a decision that was made quickly or easily.
For more than half a century, Sherline has been proud to manufacture precision machine tools designed and built to last. Our philosophy has always been simple: build a quality product, stand behind it, and provide our customers with the knowledge and support they need to use it for years to come. Many Sherline machines have remained in service for decades and have even been passed from one generation to the next. We can think of no better testament to the people who designed and built them.
To every customer who has purchased a Sherline machine, recommended us to a friend, called us with a question, shared a project, or supported our company over the years, thank you. You are the reason Sherline has been able to do what we love for more than 52 years.
When we took over the company in 2017, we did so with great optimism for Sherline’s future. We invested in new products and designs, modernized our computer systems and manufacturing processes, and worked hard to carry forward the reputation for quality upon which Sherline was built.
Unfortunately, the manufacturing environment has changed dramatically. The effects of COVID, increasing manufacturing and operating costs, and significant changes in consumer purchasing habits have made it increasingly difficult for a small American manufacturer such as Sherline to maintain the workforce and production levels necessary to remain competitive.
After exhausting the options available to us, we have reached the very difficult conclusion that continuing manufacturing operations is no longer sustainable.
What Happens Between Now and the End of October?
We plan to continue building and selling machines, tooling, accessories, and replacement parts to the extent our remaining equipment, materials, staffing, and inventory allow through the end of October.
Some manufacturing operations, particularly those requiring our larger production equipment, will necessarily end sooner as that equipment is removed from service.
Because availability will change throughout this transition, some products may become unavailable before others. We appreciate your patience and understanding as our employees work to fill as many orders as reasonably possible during these final weeks of production.
What This Means for Current Sherline Owners
Although manufacturing is winding down, we are not simply abandoning the customers who have trusted Sherline.
We plan to maintain an online presence and make replacement parts available as inventory permits. We will also continue to address warranty issues in accordance with our warranty obligations.
The Sherline website also contains an extensive library of technical and educational information developed over decades, including product instructions, technical reference material, educational resources, troubleshooting information, and links to our YouTube how-to videos. We intend for these valuable resources to remain available to Sherline owners.
If you recently purchased a Sherline product, please understand that the winding down of manufacturing does not mean that Sherline has simply disappeared or that you have been left without support.
To the People Who Made Sherline Possible
There is another group we cannot adequately thank in a few words: our employees, past and present. Sherline’s reputation was not created by a company name or a logo. It was created by people.
Over more than five decades, dedicated employees have given their talent, knowledge, craftsmanship, and, in many cases, a significant portion of their working lives to this company. The quality associated with the Sherline name is a direct reflection of their work.
As our manufacturing operations come to an end and we say goodbye to employees who have worked beside us for so many years, this is perhaps the most difficult part of all.
We are profoundly grateful to them.
More Than Machines
Sherline has never been just a catalog of lathes, mills, and accessories. It has been a community of machinists, hobbyists, educators, engineers, inventors, craftsmen, students, and people who simply love making things.
We are extraordinarily proud of the machines that carry the Sherline name, proud of the people who built them, and grateful to the customers who believed that quality and craftsmanship were worth investing in.
Thank you for trusting Sherline. Thank you for supporting American manufacturing. And thank you for allowing our products to become a part of your workshops, businesses, classrooms, projects, and families for more than 52 years.
It has truly been our privilege to serve you.
With our deepest appreciation,
Karl Rohlin III & Charla Papp
Co-Owners, Sherline Products, Inc.
and the entire Sherline Products Team