Updated 2026
When a machine sits idle, shop profitability drops. Since 1968, Productivity has supported the Minnesota machine tool industry and surrounding regions. Today, the company serves manufacturers across 13 states: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Texas. Beyond equipment distribution, the company maintains ties with local technical colleges and professional machine tool associations to support skilled trades and manufacturing growth.
Here is a look at how each department works to keep machine shops productive and profitable.
Machine Tool Sales: A Consultative Approach
Productivity’s sales team focuses on long-term consulting rather than quick transactions. Sales engineers work to understand each shop’s specific capabilities, challenges, and long-term goals.
Three factors support this approach:
- Experienced Personnel: Veteran sales engineers focus on clear follow-through on every detail, building long-term working relationships across the 13-state region.
- Ongoing Product Training: Sales reps participate in regular technology sessions to stay current on new machinery and techniques.
- Long-Term Manufacturer Partnerships: Productivity has exclusively carried most of its product lines for over 30 years, bringing in new lines primarily to fill specific capability gaps for customers.
Tooling and MMIS: Smarter Supply Management
Toolholders, cutting tools, and accessories directly impact a shop’s bottom line. Productivity’s tooling department independently serves shops across the Upper Midwest, helping teams extend tool life, improve part quality, and increase output.
To streamline supply management, Productivity develops Materials Management & Integration Systems (MMIS). These custom programs range from point-of-use dispensing machines to complete, automated tool management systems. MMIS helps shops:
- Automate tooling inventory and control daily consumption.
- Eliminate emergency shipping costs.
- Keep less capital tied up in unused inventory while preventing unexpected downtime.
Robotics Automation: Flexible, Low-Setup Systems
To help shops handle labor shortages and boost production capacity, Productivity developed its own line of pre-engineered robotic equipment packages called RoboFlex®. RoboFlex® systems operate much like standard machine tools. They are designed for quick setup and fast changeovers between different jobs. These user-friendly systems shorten lead times, produce predictable cycle times, and free up workers for higher-value tasks. To maintain high technical standards, Productivity regularly trains for its sales and service staff.
Service: Four Ways to Prevent Machine Downtime
Buying a machine is only the first step; reliable service keeps it running. Productivity uses four main strategies to minimize machine downtime:
- Experienced Phone Support: 100% of calls are routed to a Technical Support Specialist with the majority of technical issues resolved over the phone.
- Stocked Parts and Service Vans: Large warehouse inventory and fully stocked vans—especially for Haas machinery through the Haas Factory Outlet (HFO)—allow service engineers to complete repairs on the first call more than 90% of the time.
- Local Field Service Engineers: Dedicated service teams cover our 13-state area providing fast response times and emergency weekend coverage for urgent production runs.
- Dedicated Proactive Maintenance: Specialized maintenance engineers go beyond standard oil and filter changes. They use historical breakdown data to inspect and fix high-wear components before a failure occurs.
Comprehensive Support Through Strategic Partners
We maintain relationships with four strategic partners providing access to dimensional inspection, quality control, software integration, and used machinery sales.
- Advanced Inspection Services
- Productivity Quality, Inc.
- Applied CIM Technologies, Inc.
- Machinesused.com
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