Alpha USA got its start in 1957 as a manufacturer of washers. Not the kind of washers that clean things but the kind that help tighten bolts. The Livonia-based company made billions of washers for decades and did well.
About a decade ago, Alpha USA saw the shift of its bread-and-butter market to places outside of the U.S. and decided to change with the times. The company has evolved into an engineering firm that handles everything from design to product development to light manufacturing for a wide variety of customers. It holds a dozen patents, which it showcases to potential customers to drum up new businesses creating innovative products.
"It's a great business model," says Charles Dardas, president & COO of
Alpha USA.
That has allowed Alpha USA, a veteran-owned company, to hire 10 people over the last year. Those new jobs are for engineering and technician positions. The company has taken advantage of the deep hiring pool in Metro Detroit, hiring a number of experienced workers that have helped fatten the company's bottom line.
"There were a lot of people who had quite a few years of something good to offer," Dardas says. "We saw that as great opportunity."
Source: Charles Dardas, president & COO of Alpha USA
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.