For nearly five decades, Technical Services, Inc. has quietly helped manufacturers solve some of their most complex production challenges. From custom automation equipment to precision machining and robotics integration, the Ames-based company has built its reputation on designing systems tailored to the exact needs of its customers.
Founded in 1977 by Loran Simpson, Technical Services began as a custom machine design and build company focused on helping manufacturers improve efficiency, quality, and safety through automation. Today, the company operates out of a 60,000-square-foot facility in Ames and employs more than 60 people, continuing a family legacy now led by the third generation of Simpsons.
Vice President Grant Simpson grew up around the business. As a kid, he spent time in the shop watching employees fabricate parts, wire control panels, and assemble custom-built machines for customers across the country. “I was sweeping floors, helping where I could, and just being around the environment from a young age,” Simpson said. “You don’t realize it at the time, but you’re learning how the business works and what makes it special.”
That early exposure eventually shaped his decision to return to the family company after working in the oil field industry following college. “I enjoyed the work, but the work-life balance wasn’t great,” Simpson said. “Coming back to TSI felt like an opportunity to be part of something meaningful and help shape where the company was headed next.”
For much of its history, Technical Services specialized in fully customized machines built around a customer’s product or manufacturing process. The company engineered systems for a wide range of industries, often creating one-of-a-kind solutions that automated repetitive or highly specialized tasks. “If a customer had a product they needed manufactured more efficiently, we would design and build the machine specifically for that application,” Simpson said. “Everything was custom.”
That work remains an important part of the business today, but over the past two decades the company has strategically diversified, creating a more scalable product line through its RazorGage technology.
Originally developed in the early 2000s, RazorGage began as a linear measurement and positioning system designed to improve cutting accuracy and reduce waste in woodworking and manufacturing applications. Over time, the technology evolved into a sophisticated automated optimization platform used by cabinet makers and manufacturers around the world.
“It’s essentially an automated tape measure combined with optimized software,” Simpson said. “A customer can generate a cut list, load the material, and the system calculates the most efficient cuts while minimizing waste.”
Today, RazorGage represents roughly half of the company’s business and has expanded Technical Services’ reach far beyond Iowa. The systems are distributed worldwide and used primarily by small- to mid-sized cabinet makers and woodworking operations looking to improve efficiency and productivity.
The shift toward RazorGage also helped the company navigate the cyclical nature of custom machine building.
“Custom automation projects can fluctuate with the economy,” Simpson said. “RazorGage gave us a product line that created stability while still aligning with what we do best, which is solving manufacturing problems.”
Technical Services has continued evolving in recent years, including the acquisition of Mid-America Manufacturing in 2020, further expanding its machining capabilities and high-mix, low-volume production work.
For Simpson, the challenge now is balancing the company’s strong legacy with a vision for the future. “There’s a responsibility that comes with being the third generation,” he said. “But it’s also exciting because we have an opportunity to continue growing, investing in technology, and finding new ways to serve customers while staying true to what built the company in the first place.”
Learn more about Technical Services, Inc. on their website at www.TSIAmes.com