About

Our story

It started in a garage in Dallas, Texas.

In 1966, James H. Nelson was working as a manufacturers’ representative when the firm he represented couldn’t keep pace with demand from a rapidly expanding aerospace industry. Rather than walk away from the opportunity, James bought a machine, set it up in his own garage, and put his sons Mike and Spence to work. That first order sparked something far bigger than any of them imagined.

On May 1st of that same year — May Day — Mayday Manufacturing was born, soaring into the aerospace industry with a name that would take on a life of its own. Over time, Mayday became synonymous with the universal distress call of aviators. James embraced it with characteristic confidence: “If you are having trouble,” he would say, “just call Mayday!” Building on that foundation, brothers Mike and Spence Nelson launched Hi-Tech Metal Finishing in 1993 — a captive plating shop in Lewisville, Texas, established to serve Mayday Manufacturing. Hi-Tech grew steadily, expanding its customer base to include outside manufacturers and OEMs.

Part of a Global Leader in Engineered Solutions

In 2016, both Mayday Manufacturing and Hi-Tech Metal Finishing were acquired by ESCO Technologies (NYSE: ESE), a globally recognized provider of highly engineered products and solutions serving a broad range of growing markets including aerospace, space, defense, wireless, consumer electronics, and electric utilities. In 2022, Hi-Tech Metal Finishing was integrated into Mayday Manufacturing, becoming our Processing Division — expanding our in-house capabilities and allowing us to offer an even more comprehensive range of services to our customers.

Today, Mayday Manufacturing operates within ESCO’s Aerospace & Defense Division — a group dedicated to delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions across the aerospace, space, defense, and industrial markets. Alongside fellow ESCO companies Crissair, Inc., PTI Technologies Inc., Westland Technologies, Inc., ESCO Maritime Solutions, and Globe Composite Solutions, LLC, Mayday brings deep technical expertise and resources to an organization capable of delivering an extensive scope of highly engineered solutions for the most demanding applications.

From a single machine in a family garage to a key member of a global aerospace and defense enterprise — Mayday Manufacturing remains committed to the same principle that started it all: when it matters most, call Mayday.

Our team

Mayday Manufacturing was founded in 1966 to provide the highest quality precision aircraft parts. As we celebrate our 60th anniversary on May 1, 2026, our expertise has only deepened. Today our staff are highly skilled producers of precision machined components; compliance experts capable of certifying our parts in-house; and manufacturing professionals focused on reducing lead time through vertical integration.

Our capabilities

“More Than Bushings”

For six decades, Mayday Manufacturing built its reputation as the aerospace industry’s go-to source for precision round components — bushings, sleeves, pins, spacers and more. We wore the “bushing guys” label proudly, and we still do. But today, Mayday is so much more.

Introducing More Than Bushings (MTB) — a natural evolution of the precision manufacturing expertise Mayday has delivered for 60 years, now expanded to encompass the full spectrum of complex, small-scale aerospace components.

With investments in advanced multi-axis and robotic machining technology, Mayday now has the capability to produce prismatic (non-round) components with the same exacting tolerances and quality our customers have always depended on. Our MTB capabilities include:

• 3-Axis, 4-Axis & 5-Axis CNC Machining — precision machining of complex geometries that go far beyond round components
• Mill/Turn Machining — combining milling and turning operations in a single setup to reduce handling, improve accuracy, and shorten lead times
• Robotic & Cobot-Assisted Manufacturing — advanced automation that enhances consistency, throughput, and repeatability
• Light Assembly — integrated assembly services that streamline your supply chain and reduce vendor touchpoints
• Component Size Envelope up to 12 in³ (30 cm³) — purpose-built for the small, intricate, mission-critical parts that define aerospace and defense manufacturing

Whether your application calls for a classic bushing or a complex prismatic component, Mayday has the equipment, the expertise, and the proven quality systems to deliver. If precision matters and tolerances are tight — call Mayday.

compliance certifications

Mayday Manufacturing has generations of experienced manufacturing professionals, and we have grown alongside the aerospace and commercial aviation industries for 60 years. As the industry became more tightly regulated and the needs of commercial and military aerospace manufacturing became more demanding, Mayday led the way in producing precision machined parts that comply with regulations and exceed expectations.

Mayday and our sister companies are certified under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in compliance with ISO 9001 and AS9100 — the globally recognized standards for quality assurance. Additionally, Mayday is certified under the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP), enabling us to test and validate the compliance of our parts with OEM and regulatory guidelines entirely in-house. This critical distinction saves our customers time and money, while continuing to open the door for innovative approaches to precision aircraft parts manufacturing.