Buying a machine shop in Orlando and Central Florida

• Repeat orders for the same parts from many customers, with no single customer a large share of sales.
• Skilled machinists and programmers who have been there for years and are paid fairly, since they're hard to replace.
• Well-maintained machines, including some newer, more capable equipment such as multi-axis mills.
• The quality certifications customers require, such as ISO 9001, or AS9100 for aerospace work, backed by a quality system people actually follow.
• Quotes based on what past jobs really cost, so the owner knows which jobs make money.
• A foreman or lead who can schedule the shop floor without the owner.
• Strong on-time delivery and little scrap or rework, tracked and shared with customers.

• How much of the business comes from the top customers, their history with the shop, and whether any are moving work elsewhere.
• A machine list with age, hours, condition and any leases. Have an expert inspect the key machines.
• Who can program and set up the machines, and their ages, pay and plans.
• Quality records: certifications, audit findings, rejected parts and on-time delivery.
• Job costing: whether quotes reflect real hours and material, and which jobs lose money.
• Tooling and material in the shop that belong to customers, and a clear record of who owns what.
• The building: power supply, cranes, floor space and lease terms. Moving heavy machines is costly, so a secure lease matters.
• Programs and setup sheets for repeat parts: are they saved and organized, or only in the owner's head?

• Who are your top five customers, and how long have they been ordering from you?
• Who could program and quote if you were away for a month?
• Which machines would you replace first?
• Does the shop make any defense parts, and is it registered under ITAR?
• What certifications do your customers require, and when's the next audit?
• How do you find new machinists?
• What work do you turn away, and why?
• Do any of your contracts depend on small business, woman-owned or veteran-owned status?

This region covers Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Sumter and Marion counties: Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Sanford, Clermont, Leesburg, Ocala and the large retirement communities of Sumter and Lake counties. Tourism is what the area is best known for, built on the theme parks, the hotels, the vacation rental homes around Kissimmee and the Orange County Convention Center. It's far from the only business. The University of Central Florida and the military simulation and training offices near it support a technology base, and health care is a major employer.

Marion County is horse country, with thoroughbred farms around Ocala, and it has added warehouses and distribution centers along Interstate 75. Retirees in Sumter and Lake create steady demand for medical practices, home care, home maintenance and auto services. The building trades, restaurants, and companies that serve hotels and rental homes do well across the region.

Central Florida is inland, so storm surge isn't the worry it is on the coasts. Hurricanes still bring wind damage and flooding, though: Hurricane Ian flooded neighborhoods in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties in 2022. Ask whether the business or its customers were affected.

Tourism keeps demand steadier through the year than in markets that depend on winter residents, with busy stretches around school holidays. Hotels, parks and restaurants compete hard for workers, which pushes up wages for any company that hires hourly staff. New homes have spread fast in Osceola, south Lake and southeast Orange counties and around Ocala, so check whether a company's customers are in growing areas or older ones. Traffic on Interstate 4 limits how much ground a service company can cover in a day.