Buying a machine shop in Southwest 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 Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties on the Gulf coast and Hendry, Glades and DeSoto inland: Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, LaBelle, Clewiston, Moore Haven and Arcadia. The coastal economy runs on people who choose to live or spend the winter here: retirees, seasonal residents, and the construction, real estate, health care, financial and home services that follow them. Tourism, golf and boating add to it.

Inland, the economy is agricultural: sugarcane around Clewiston, citrus, cattle and vegetables, with Immokalee in Collier County a center for farm work. The building trades, pool, landscaping and pest control companies, property managers, medical and dental practices, and marine businesses tend to do well along the coast.

This is one of Florida's most seasonal markets. From roughly January through April, restaurants, shops and service companies run at full speed. Summers are slower, so look at monthly revenue, not only the yearly total. The coast has taken two major hurricanes in recent years: Ian came ashore at Cayo Costa in Lee County in September 2022, and Milton at Siesta Key in Sarasota County in October 2024. Rebuilding brought a wave of work for contractors that won't last forever, so ask how much recent revenue came from storm repairs. Insurance costs and flood zones weigh on every property.

Housing costs near the coast make hiring hard, especially around Naples. New communities east of Interstate 75 in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Manatee keep service companies busy.