WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the winners of its first-ever Critical Suppliers Prize Competition, awarding more than $18 million in non-dilutive prize funding to seven small businesses. The awards will enable the companies to modernize equipment, expand production capacity, and scale U.S.-based manufacturing of critical defense, aerospace, shipbuilding, and advanced-materials components—helping address key supply chain chokepoints, strengthen America’s industrial base, and reinforce the nation’s economic resilience and national security.
"Capital is a force multiplier for small businesses, and the awards in the Critical Suppliers Prize Competition will unleash more productive capacity to strengthen America’s supply chains, drive job growth, and align the agency’s programs with real results," said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "The competition was based on specific objectives and uses for the capital to grow and reshore manufacturing capabilities. These awards will give proven industrialists the resources to scale faster, invest in new equipment, and deliver the materials, components, and technologies our country needs across our most important sectors, from defense to energy. By backing these businesses, the Trump SBA is helping rebuild the industrial strength that will power America’s economy and national security for decades to come. "
Awardees plan to use the Critical Suppliers Prize Competition funding to modernize equipment, expand production capacity, and strengthen the domestic industrial base that supports America’s national security. From Trenton Forging’s investment in new hydraulic power hammers and JD Machine’s purchase of additional precision-machining equipment to Alabama Shipyard’s fabrication upgrades, the awards will help these businesses increase output, improve efficiency, and take on more work as manufacturers reshore production that was sent overseas for years.
Queen City Forging, Jet Helseth Manufacturing, ShaloTek, and Synthio Chemicals will similarly use their awards to automate and scale production of critical components and materials for defense platforms including drones, submarines, and missiles, while creating room for future hiring and accelerated reshoring to ensure America’s industrial capacity remains ahead of foreign adversaries.
The following seven awardees will receive a portion of the $18 million:
Trenton Forging – Trenton, Michigan
Founded in 1967, Trenton Forging is a third-generation family-owned manufacturer of custom impression die forging in Trenton, Michigan. Using advanced manufacturing processes and technologies, Trenton Forging’s impression-die forgings are designed for a wide range of applications, from military and firearm parts such as bolt breeches to heavy-duty truck parts such as steering arms and cams. From simple to complex, Trenton Forging serves an American owned, American made supply chain solution for customers in the agriculture, construction, commercial truck, marine, racing/performance, railroad, and defense industries.
JD Machine Corp. – Ogden, Utah
JD Machine is a family-owned precision CNC machining manufacturer in Ogden, Utah, established in 1979. JD Machine delivers precision components and assemblies with scalable production systems for mission-critical aerospace, defense, mining, and medical industries. Working with a wide range of metals, engineering plastics, and composites including aluminum, magnesium, carbon and stainless steels, titanium, Inconel and high temperature alloys, tungsten, brass, copper and bronze, JD Machine uses state of the art multi axis CNC machines including dual-spindle CNC turning centers, 4- and 5-axis CNC milling cells and in-house sheet-metal fabrication to produce complex parts requiring tight tolerances.
Alabama Shipyard LLC – Mobile, Alabama
Established in 2019, Alabama Shipyard continues the legacy of a Mobile facility founded in 1916 to build and maintain vessels for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Alabama Shipyard is a full-service shipyard operating one of the largest floating drydocks in the United States at over 787 ft long and 164 ft wide. It provides maintenance, repair, overhaul, and conversion services for commercial and government vessels. The company also performs shipbreaking, supporting vessel needs from operational maintenance through end-of-service dismantling.
The Queen City Forging Company – Cincinnati, Ohio
The Queen City Forging Company (QCF), based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a privately owned company with more than 140 years of experience in producing high-quality forged metal components that include everything from railroad relays to diesel engines to agricultural equipment to aerospace forgings. Specializing in aluminum, ferrous, and non-ferrous alloy forgings, QCF has a proven track record in innovative manufacturing, including collaborative R&D with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on infrared heating technology (awarded R&D 100 and Ohio Edison Innovation Awards) and holding U.S. Patent 7,544,256 B2. The company serves OEMs in turbocharger, UAV propulsion, rail, medical, and agricultural sectors.
Jet Helseth Manufacturing Inc. – DeLand, Florida
Jet Helseth Manufacturing is a precision machining services company in DeLand, Florida, operating since 1995. It provides not only CNC precision machining but also engineering support, inspection and testing, assembly, finishing (including heat-treating, plating, sand blasting and anodizing) and laser marking services. Jet Helseth’s customers operate in the defense, aerospace, medical, and general commercial industrial sectors.
ShaloTek Inc. – Statesboro, Georgia
ShaloTek is a precision machining services company based in Statesboro, Georgia, serving aerospace, defense, industrial OEM, and consumer markets. Its capabilities include 3- and 5-axis CNC milling, turning, and wire electrical discharge machining for complex, tight-tolerance components. ShaloTek employs a 24/7 production cycle with state of the art automated workflows and advanced manufacturing processes with 5-axis production cells and robotic loading/unloading.
Synthio Chemicals, Inc. – Boulder, Colorado
Synthio Chemicals is a Boulder, Colorado-based chemical manufacturing and engineering services firm that produces fine and specialty chemicals for industrial, aerospace, and defense applications. It uses a proprietary continuous flow production platform to rapidly and safely produce chemicals that are difficult to manufacture safely and economically at scale. Its custom production includes propellant binding agents, antioxidants and stabilizers, high-nitrogen precursors, and energetic plasticizers and binders.
The SBA is committed to rebuilding American supply chains and domestic manufacturing through a series of targeted initiatives. This year, the agency waived loan fees for manufacturing NAICS codes, established the first-ever loan program dedicated to American manufacturers, and modernized the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program so more private capital flows into critical, supply‑chain‑sensitive industries. The agency also announced a new 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee for small manufacturers and continues to promote existing programs such as the asset-based 7(a) Working Capital Pilot (WCP) Program. Through its ongoing Supplier Matchmaking Expo series and its Make Onshoring Great Again Portal, the agency plays an active role in helping large companies source small suppliers to onshore supply chains.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.