To be the most sought after supplier in our field. This will be accomplished by providing the best value of quality goods to our customers and responding to their requests as quickly as possible.

Our Story

In 1968 Gerald Woods, our former president, was
running the Development Shop at Ford Motor Company. The position called for a
tremendous amount of traveling, which was extremely impractical for a father
trying to help raise three boys. He and a friend decided to move their families
to Northport, Michigan – and in 1973, with the help of a silent partner,
Sherwood Manufacturing was born.

Sherwood Manufacturing started out specializing in
hand welding work for rail, truck, and automotive companies. In 1984, Ford
Motor Company was searching for a manufacturing company to design internal
dunnage for a new engine. Gerry saw an opportunity that no one else saw. He
decided to pursue the Ford job on his own, becoming the sole proprietor of the
company, and so began what would be a 30+ year run with Ford.

Alan and Raymond, two of Gerry’s sons, embraced their
father’s vision of pursuing careers in engineering and graduated with degrees
in CAD design. In 1988, they both chose to join their father at Sherwood
Manufacturing, each contributing their unique skills to the company. Since Alan
and Raymond’s involvement, Sherwood Manufacturing has evolved significantly,
transitioning from hand welding to utilizing advanced technology, including ten
six-axis robotic arms, one head-and-tail eight-axis robotic system, and a dual
ten-axis robotic unit.

When Alan and Raymond joined Sherwood Manufacturing,
they quickly identified significant inefficiencies in the company’s operations.
They noticed substantial financial waste and time lost due to the repeated
repurchasing of toggle clamps. The standard practice at the time involved
welding the clamps directly to each new fixture, which was both costly and
impractical. They also recognized the limitations of the manufactured
accessories, which lacked flexibility for specific tasks. Seeing an opportunity
for improvement, they sought to develop a more efficient and adaptable welding
process. 

Soon after encountering these challenges, Ray invented
several patented toggle clamp attachments designed to enhance the functionality
of manufactured clamps. His innovations resulted in reusable clamps that were
compatible with small parts, featured a low profile for improved use with
robots and cobots, and introduced wrench-free attachments to standard toggle
clamps. With Al’s support, Ray refined these designs and the brothers decided
to share their inventions with others facing similar obstacles in the manufacturing
industry.

What sets Sherwood Manufacturing apart is our ability
to design and build our own fixtures, standardize processes, and create custom
welding stands that are both cost-effective and user-friendly for our
employees. Additionally, we’ve simplified toggle clamp attachments to
streamline fixture production, making our operations more efficient. These
innovations not only enhance our competitiveness but also enable us to deliver
superior results for our customers.

Distance and location are never an obstacle for us. We
have proudly served customers in Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Wisconsin, and
Tennessee, and we are excited to expand our service area in the future.
Additionally, our online products have reached customers as far as California,
showcasing our commitment to meeting the needs of clients nationwide.