118. From a Garage Bridgeport to 5-Axis Growth: CazTek's 22-Year Journey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

When I sat down with Casimir Sienkiewicz (CAZ) from CazTek, I immediately connected with his story because it reminded me so much of the journeys so many shop owners go through. What started with a Bridgeport mill in a garage has evolved over the last 22 years into a growing engineering and precision machining company tackling everything from advanced prototypes to 5-axis machining, Swiss work, automation assemblies, and aerospace and medical projects. But what really stood out to me wasn’t just the equipment or the growth. It was Casimir’s mindset around creativity, problem-solving, and continuously evolving as a business owner.

One of the themes throughout this conversation is how closely personal growth and business growth are tied together. Casimir talked openly about the realization that he had to stop trying to personally carry every responsibility inside the company if he wanted the business to scale. Like many entrepreneurs, he built the company through grit, technical skill, and sheer determination. But eventually, that approach created bottlenecks. Bringing in strong leaders, defining core values, implementing systems, and learning to trust his team became the next phase of growth for both him and the company.

We also spent a lot of time talking about the intersection of engineering and manufacturing. CazTek isn’t just a machine shop. Their team works through the entire product development lifecycle, from early concepts and mechanical engineering all the way through machining, assembly, testing, and production. That end-to-end visibility gives their employees a unique sense of purpose because they get to see how the products they design and manufacture actually impact the world, whether it’s medical devices, aerospace hardware, or industrial systems.

This episode is packed with lessons around scaling a manufacturing business, building the right culture, implementing systems like EOS, adopting new technology, and creating an organization that can grow sustainably. Casimir brings a thoughtful and honest perspective to the conversation, and I think listeners will really relate to the challenges, mistakes, and breakthroughs he shares along the way.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

(0:00) Introduction and the origins of CazTek’s manufacturing journey
(3:18) Overview of CazTek Engineering and CazTek Precision today
(8:28) Learning manual machining, CNC setup, and programming at a young age
(10:17) Landing in a manufacturing engineering technology program
(11:36) Starting the business in a 400-square-foot garage with a Bridgeport mill
(15:15) Hiring the first employee and moving out of the garage
(16:58) Learn more about IMTS 2026 (and why you should join us)
(17:51) Purchasing the first Haas VF-2 and launching the machine shop side
(19:44) Expanding into 5-axis machining, turning, and Swiss machining
(21:22) Balancing rapid prototyping work with outside contract machining
(23:21) Growing through referrals, relationships, and word-of-mouth reputation
(24:29) Building a true sales pipeline and moving beyond feast-or-famine growth
(28:06) Recognizing personal limitations and bringing in experienced leaders to scale
(29:56) Why we love SMW Autoblok workholding
(30:39) Learning to trust others and let go of operational control
(34:04) How systems and delegation unlocked the next stage of growth
(36:54) Challenges of investing time and resources into organizational growth
(38:11) Implementing EOS and building systems for accountability and growth
(39:53) Hiring the right personalities and getting people in the right seats
(41:08) Why we created Hire MFG Leaders (and why you should use it)
(42:04) Coaching employees into roles that fit their strengths
(46:25) Building scalable processes and implementing tools like ProShop and Paperless Parts
(49:19) Current growth challenges, operational bottlenecks, and scaling in parallel
(51:33) Defining CazTek’s core values and attracting mission-driven employees
(57:03) Thoughts on manufacturing growth, automation, and staying resilient through market shifts