Founder of Linear AMS in Livonia Takes Control of Company Again
The founder of Linear AMS, a Livonia company that uses 3D printing technologies to create molding and industrial parts, is once again the majority owner with plans to reverse previously announced job cuts(Courtesy of Linear AMS)
LIVONIA, MI – The founder of Livonia’s Linear AMS is taking control of the company again, less than two years after the manufacturer was acquired by a New York aerospace and defense company.
According to a company statement, John Tenbusch once again is majority owner of Linear AMS. The Livonia company uses 3D printing technologies to create molding and industrial parts for customers in its industrial facility, located at 35450 Industrial Road.
Tenbusch founded the company, first known as Linear Mold & Engineering, in 2003 before it was acquired in 2015 by Moog Inc., a New York-based company that specializes in aircraft, industrial, space and defense parts and applications.
Tenbusch resumes control of the company months after Linear AMS announced it was laying off 40 employees in Livonia.
Linear AMS sent a notice in April to the Michigan Workforce Development Agency regarding the layoffs of 40 workers, which the company said it expected to be permanent as a result of relocating equipment to New York.
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Now, Tenbusch is working closely with the director of tooling and manufacturing, Lou Young, to revamp the business in ways he said would retain jobs and result in possible revenues of up to $11 million in 2018.
Young told The Ann Arbor News the idea to take back control of Linear AMS came to him after being asked by Moog to help divest the company of its tooling and manufacturing equipment, to be relocated to New York.
He spoke with Tenbusch, who was not employed by the company at the time, and said the decision to throw their hats back in the ownership ring was soon made.
The two repurchased Linear AMS for an undisclosed amount, with the deal closing July 19, and plan to continue using the abbreviated name.
Tenbusch has 80 percent control of Linear AMS; Young has 20 percent control as the minority partner, according to the company statement.
Tenbusch was not available for comment at the time of publication.
While equipment is still being relocated to New York, Young said the new focus of the company is the injection mold business along with improving tooling capabilities.
“We are maintaining roughly around 70 employees with plans to grow that side of the business,” Young said.
The 40 job cuts announced in April will go ahead as planned, though Young said some employees have already left the company and some may be folded back into the Linear AMS business.
Some other goals include 10 percent job growth and encouraging interest in the skilled-trades industry.
“This will be a serious issue for the whole area going forward,” Young said about the lack of young people in the industry’s employment pool.
He and Tenbusch plan to continue engaging local community colleges and high schools to “get that skilled trade mindset going,” he said.
