Details behind the history and synergy of the acquisition for the regional aerospace industry.
By Jennifer Ferrero
DEMGY Group purchased the aircraft interiors manufacturer Tool-Gauge of Tacoma, Wash., on March 31, 2025. DEMGY was interested in expanding their aerospace services, specifically in the Pacific Northwest, and into ‘growing their footprint’ in the U.S. and specifically with Boeing, said Mike Walter, DEMGY America president. The name DEMGY stands for ‘Dedienne Multiplasturgy (Plastics) Group.’ Founded in 1947 by Roland Dedienne in France, the company has been in operation for nearly 80 years. It has grown by acquiring like-minded industry businesses to align with its mission of utilizing plastics and composites solutions. Now, Tool-Gauge is known as DEMGY Pacific. Walter said of the company at large, “We are kind of like the Cheesecake Factory of the endless menu of capabilities,’ meaning that they aim to be a one-stop shop for customers, offering a wide range of technology for each application, just as the Cheesecake Factory offers a wide range of dishes.” Walter said DEMGY Group is well-established in Europe. Their headquarters are in Normandy, France, where they have a campus facility featuring advanced technologies in plastic component manufacturing.
Tool-Gauge is a well-established aerospace supplier in the region, employing approximately 200 staff members. The broader company has approximately 1,000 employees, with plants in France, Germany, Romania, and two locations in the U.S.: Chicago and Tacoma.
Walter, who came out of the Chicago plant to head up DEMGY Pacific, was impressed by the expertise and teamwork of the Tool-Gauge team. He noted their wealth of knowledge and their ability to work well together. He particularly admired the complexity of the parts made at the Tacoma plant, which combines plastic molding, CNC machining, and assembly to produce complex parts for a variety of aircraft applications.
Walter is a lifelong manufacturer, “I love manufacturing, I’ve been around it all my life, I am comfortable with it. In the custom manufacturing environment, there is something satisfying about seeing a concept come to life and then seeing the same item emerge from the machine, one after another.” He finds the process of adding automation to manufacturing intriguing.
That location also has a metals division. New Product Introduction (NPI) Engineering Manager Kevin Potter, who is responsible for introducing new products into the manufacturing process, stated that having both plastics and metal competencies, combined with the metal division, sets them apart from competitors. Additionally, he said their assembly capacity is robust, and worldwide supplier parts are shipped to them for final assembly.
Potter said that he is excited about the acquisition due to the resources available through the DEMGY Group. “When I started, this was still a small shop; it has grown bigger now.” He said he likes the new Division President, Mike Walter, and feels that he is engaged and easy to work with.
Whitney Ulrich, the director of quality who joined the team in 2023, highlighted the company’s commitment to quality. She explained that they produce internal decorative parts for all Boeing commercial airplanes, ensuring that every part meets the highest standards of integrity and perfection.
She said they have a 99% quality rating from Boeing Enterprise and have always “supplied a sound, quality product, which we are very proud of.” She has worked in detail in both the automotive and aerospace industries, understanding the stringent regulations that govern these industries.
Ulrich emphasized the company’s dedication to maintaining a good relationship with Boeing through the transition. She also pointed out the family-oriented environment that attracted her to the team. The company, founded in 1967, initially manufactured metal aerospace parts but has since shifted its focus to plastic injection molding, becoming BAC5321 certified, which is Boeing specific.
She said that even with the acquisition, there is a significant emphasis on teamwork. She, too, mentioned the volume of resources, via DEMGY, that have been opened to them, which is “astounding.” They have team meetings where they discuss how to obtain raw materials, which may have previously been difficult, but now, they can tap into DEMGY Chicago and beyond. She feels that it will allow them to diversify their product and industry offerings as well.
Regarding technology integration, before the acquisition and under the leadership of Jim and Debbie Lee (now retired), the company had leaned into robotics in the factory. Walter said, “They were instrumental in the growth of Tool-Gauge and bringing it to the level that it was.” Looking ahead, he wants to focus on the value-added benefits of technology.
Regarding robotics, Ulrich added that they are still working on implementing robots and developing innovations on the factory floor. She said management is “Focused on the detail-oriented things we need them to do to build the best product they can while eliminating repetitive tasks.” She said 19 quality engineers and inspectors report to her. Their role focuses on boots on the ground, first-piece inspection, standard frequency inspection, first-article inspection, maintaining calibration services, and managing suppliers. Her goal is to be more customer-focused and less focused on floor operations, where much of the machine technology is utilized. She feels the roles in her department are less dependent on automation.
But Potter said, “One of the things we do that sets us apart is we have a very large injection molding press 1250-ton machine, which is pretty large on the West Coast, which allows us to make larger parts. He said that having both plastics molding and a metals shop is an advantage. “Our CNC machining on plastics sets us apart with 5-axis routers that allow us to make more complex parts.” He said many companies can do plastic machining, but they can add valuable complexity to their processes when combined with plastic molding.
Available technology at DEMGY Pacific:
- Injection molding machines with wide tonnage range and automation
- High Performance Plastic (HPP) processing expertise
- CNC Milling Multi-Axis
- CNC Lathes
- Collaborative Robots
- Non-Contact CMM Measurement
From an aerospace community perspective, Tool-Gauge was highly involved in regional trade groups. Walter said he expects they will continue to engage in the region as they have in the past.
Walter feels this was a good fit for both DEMGY Group and Tool-Gauge, “For DEMGY Group, a good fit regarding the opportunity to expand our footprint in North America in the aerospace sector and to balance work for Airbus and Boeing, both OEMs.” He also likes the technology and capabilities offered by Tool-Gauge. Additionally, with DEMGY’s “large presence” in the aerospace industry, he believes they will be less affected by market fluctuations. He said with DEMGY’s available resources, they can help the company “continue down a path of growth.”
Ulrich feels optimistic about the acquisition, “I have no concerns about how this process is going – it will make us a better supplier for our customers.” She shared that Walter had gone through this process in his career as he was managing his father’s manufacturing facility when it was acquired by DEMGY Group (in 2015). She said his experience “guides him in the decisions he needs to make. It’s nice to have someone managing who has been through it, and he is still here and a President.”
DEMGY Pacific continues to produce quality metal and plastic aerospace assemblies in their Tacoma location that will be seen in Boeing, and now possibly Airbus commercial aircraft for years to come.
Contact: DEMGY Pacific
4315 S. Adams Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Phone:+1.253.473.2740
