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Kelco Industries

Custom-engineered components for aerospace and defense

Tool & Die Maker

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/24/2026
$29 - $34/hr
Mid
Certification
Woodstock, IL, USA
In Person
Manufacturing & Production OperationsPrecision Machining & Toolmaking

About the job

Requirements
  • One-year certificate from a college or technical school, or three to five years of related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Apply knowledge of tool and die design and construction, shop mathematics, metal properties, layout, machining, and assembly procedures.
  • Demonstrate the ability to perform essential duties satisfactorily and at a high level of proficiency.
  • Identify and correct conditions that affect employee safety.
  • Communicate effectively with others using spoken language.
  • Use analytical thinking and reasoning to solve problems.
  • Find solutions to work-related problems proactively.
  • Comprehend complex technical topics and specialized information.
  • Demonstrate dependability, initiative, ownership of issues, and a strong work ethic.
Responsibilities
  • Study blueprints, sketches, models, or descriptions and visualize products to determine required materials and machines for fabricating parts.
  • Compute dimensions, plan layouts, and determine assembly methods and operation sequences.
  • Measure, mark, and scribe metal stock for machining into components.
  • Set up and operate lathes, drill presses, milling machines, grinders, and other machine tools to machine parts, and verify that machined parts conform to specifications.
  • Follow EMS and QMS policies, goals, and objectives, and assist with systems based on Lean principles and practices to meet or exceed QMS, EMS, and other standards required to serve target markets.

About the company

Kelco Industries unites four specialty manufacturers—Guardian Electric, Flex-Weld, Western Consolidated Technologies, and Advanced Molding Technologies—into a single-source partner for custom-engineered components across aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets. It collaborates with clients from concept to production to deliver engineered-to-spec solutions, including motion control systems, sealing solutions, flexible metal components, and custom-molded plastics. Its integrated, family-owned structure provides a single point of contact across multiple specialties and is supported by AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ITAR registrations. The company aims to supply mission-critical, reliable components and assemblies to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and defense contractors.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Woodstock, Illinois

Founded

1932

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Kelco acquired Intersol in June 2026, adding custom solenoids and electromagnetic devices.
  • The company keeps hiring across Woodstock and Fremont, signaling ongoing production demand.
  • Updated certifications through 2028 and 2026 trade-show activity support customer trust and visibility.

What critics are saying

  • Revelio shows headcount fell to 279 and active postings dropped 33.3% in 2026.
  • A family-owned, acquisition-built structure concentrates execution risk across four plants and one brand.
  • Failure to retain aerospace quality certifications by 2028 would cripple defense and flight-critical sales.

What makes Kelco Industries unique

  • Kelco bundles Guardian Electric, Flex-Weld, WCT, and AMT into one sourcing relationship.
  • AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ITAR support regulated aerospace work.
  • Intersol acquisition extends custom electromagnetic devices beyond seals, bellows, and molded plastics.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • Life Insurance