Deadluck owners find fulfillment

Jan 31, 2024

Feb 4, 2023

Mirror photo by Walt Frank Machinist Caleb Dillon works on a computerized numerical control lathe at Deadluck Manufacturing.

TYRONE — Two couples are shaping their futures out of plastic and metal using lathes, mills and laser etching.

Scott and Terri Breindel of State College and Jim and Shelly Ellenberger of Tyrone opened Deadluck Manufacturing on April 1, 2022, along South Eagle Valley Road just north of Tyrone.

Scott and Jim had worked for Scientific Systems in State College but decided to move on shortly after that company was sold.

The Breindels are manufacturing engineers with degrees from Penn State, while Jim was a senior machinist with more than 25 years of service. Scott designed high-speed production equipment and consumer products while Jim operated — computerized numerical control — and manual machines.

Terri also has owned a preschool and elderly care business and is a business broker.

Shelly — with a background in finance, payables and payroll — is Deadluck's secretary and still works in finance for a nationwide food distributor.

The four became partners in the new venture with a unique name.

"According to the Urban Dictionary, Deadluck is defined when you get out of a bad situation before something worse happens," Scott said

"We were looking for an opportunity to use our skills and experience in a more motivating environment. We had both had long careers with larger companies but found ourselves not as fulfilled after many changes that occurred at those companies. We wanted to open a business that we could provide quality products and services that we could be proud of," Shelly said.

The group found an available lot near the Bald Eagle exit of I-99 where they constructed a 40,000-square-foot building.

"We do the business-to-business segment. We do machining of plastics and metals on lathes and mills. We have a CNC lathe, manual lathe and laser etcher, which burns letters or numbers into metal. We do letter engraving on things such as bottle openers, trophies and parts numbers on customers’ parts," Scott said.

"We solve problems for local businesses. Metalworking is our forte," Terri said.

"We are discovering that there are demands for the work we do in this area due to many companies looking to cut costs and improve efficiencies. Companies are looking to outsource work that they once completed in-house or needing someone to assist them with keeping up with their own demands. We want to be the place they think of when it comes to getting the parts or products they need," Shelly said.

The partners worked with John Peterson, a business consultant with the Penn State Small Business Development Center, to get their company running.

He assisted the owners with their business plan, market research and creating a financial pro forma. He also introduced them to local contacts, including Matt Fox of the Altoona Blair County Development Corp., who assisted them in obtaining a Startup Alleghenies Small Step-up Grant.

Peterson said Deadluck's type of business and service is needed in the community.

"In terms of the local supply chain, there needs to be more machine shops and manufacturers to support various tooling, products and parts that are critical in this region with this skill set and technology they have. We need to have more businesses launch with this workforce skill set," Peterson said.

He was familiar with Scott Breindels’ work being in the chromatography industry, where he managed teams whose customer bases were some of the most prominent names in science research and test labs at State College.

"It is fantastic to see enthusiastic individuals in their business, but also to create a solution to a problem," he said.

The partners made about a $300,000 investment in machinery and other equipment. It took about $600,000 to get the business up and running.

Deadluck has about 40 customers, most within Blair, Centre and Huntingdon counties but some as far away as Michigan and Nebraska.

One of those customers is Bo Miller, owner of B&M Fabrication, Tyrone.

"I’ve been working with them since they opened. I have used them from day one for my CNC part work. I have some odd custom parts, and they do my machine work. In my line of work, I never make the same things twice. Their machine work is out of this world. They are a step above everyone else. … They are not only made correct, they are made beautiful. I can't say enough good things about them," Miller said.

The company has experienced steady growth since it opened.

"Every month we have been making new relationships and contacts and our customer base is slowly growing. Progress has been what we expected," Terri said.

The company recently hired another machinist — its fifth employee — and expects to add more down the road.

"We see that increasing if we can maintain steady growth in the spring and the fall. Our capacity with this building is about 10. We have the room to double our size and expand," Terri said.

"We could add eight to ten pieces of equipment in the building the way it is," Scott said.

"Our short-term goals include continuing to grow our business relationships. …. We plan to expand on the development of new products as well," Shelly said. "Our long- term goal would be to build a company that can be counted on for years to come. We would love to be able to expand our business and look at hiring additional employees and providing additional services."

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.

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