# 161: Build a Manufacturing Facility for Your New Product

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2023-02-02
- Length: 15m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Noah Graff, Vice President at Graff-Pinkert and host of the Swarfcast podcast, advises hardware startups on building local manufacturing facilities using used machinery. He explains that startups can offset capital expenses by using excess machine capacity to produce parts for other companies, thereby reducing risk and accelerating payback. Graff emphasizes that choosing a machine based on local support and service quality is more critical than buying the newest or most expensive equipment, as seen in cases where expensive German Swiss machines failed due to poor support. The discussion highlights how in-house manufacturing provides greater control over product quality and adds compounding value to the startup's intellectual property and valuation.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=0) Introduction: Noah Graff and Graff-Pinkert
- [1:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=118) Graff-Pinkert History and Screw Machine Specialization
- [3:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=235) Startup Demand for Used Machinery and Local Production
- [5:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=356) Offsetting Costs by Manufacturing for Other Clients
- [7:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=468) Choosing Machines: Support vs. Brand Reputation
- [10:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=607) Reshoring Trends and Control Over Product Quality
- [12:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-02-02-161-build-a-manufacturing-facility-for-your-new-product#t=735) Valuation Benefits of In-House Manufacturing IP

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Graff-Pinkert (company)
- Swarfcast (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Citizen (other)
- Star (other)
- Sugami (other)
- Tornos (other)
- Kern (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#037 - Disrupting with digital manufacturing, with Nick Pinkston of Plethora, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Episode 2 - The Hardware Story of Ethereal Machines w/ Kaushik Mudda | Building a Deep tech Mfg company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-story/2024-10-02-episode-2-the-hardware-story-of-ethereal-machines-w-kaushik-mudda-building-a-dee) (The Hardware Story)
- [For Hardware Startups by Hardware People: Building The Builder Circle with Host, Sera Evcimen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-06-for-hardware-startups-by-hardware-people-building-the-builder-circle-with-host-s) (The Builder Circle)
- [An interview with Macrofab - Macro Manufacturing Mechanization](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-02-an-interview-with-macrofab-macro-manufacturing-mechanization) (The Amp Hour)
- [S1 E4: Cracking the Code of Hardware Manufacturing with Scott Miller](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-05-15-s1-e4-cracking-the-code-of-hardware-manufacturing-with-scott-miller) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

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