Athena’s Path to Smarter Contract Manufacturing in 2026
A few weeks into the new year, Athena Manufacturing is excited to share what we’ve got in store for the year ahead. Our strategy for strengthening our contract manufacturing capabilities in 2026 is two-fold:
Expanding our workforce development pipeline
Investing in advanced equipment that supports the precision and flexibility our customers count on
From diversifying our partnerships with local educational institutions to expanding our machining technologies, we’re positioning Athena to deliver even greater value and make 2026 our best year yet.
1. Expanding Workforce Partnerships to Cultivate Sustainable Growth
Workforce development continues to be one of our most important commitments. For years, our partnership with Elgin High School has helped us train and hire dozens of talented welders through a model that blends classroom education and hands-on learning at Athena.
Our action: Growing beyond a single-school partner
Our partnership with Elgin High School is invaluable to both our operations and to the talented students interested in a career in manufacturing. However, we realized that to build a long-term, fully sustainable talent pipeline and offer this rewarding opportunity to even more young people, we must expand beyond a single school.
That’s why in 2026, we’re broadening our reach to include more school districts. This began at the tail end of 2025 with our addition of Pflugerville Independent School District, launched in mid-November through a connection we made from the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA).
Our action: Advancing apprenticeship programs
Our next focus involves developing our machinist apprenticeship program. While our welding track continues to thrive, we’re now building a similar pathway for machining. This new program allows students with minimal manufacturing experience to learn machining fundamentals from the ground up.
Between these two actions, our motivation remains creating a fully owned, internally cultivated pipeline of machinists uniquely trained the Athena way to:
Support retention
Simplify recruiting
Help us find individuals who fit our culture
Ensure we can support growing customer demand in areas like precision CNC machining and welding
2. Strengthening Our Contract Manufacturing Capabilities
Adding new 4-axis machining capacity
To better support high-volume and complex production programs, we are expanding our machining fleet with two additional Brother Speedio S700 4-axis mills. These machines will handle simpler 3-axis and 4-axis parts that are currently taking up capacity on our more advanced multi-axis machining centers.
Investing in a large 5-axis vertical turning lathe
To support growing demand in the aerospace and semiconductor spaces, we are evaluating a large 5-axis VTL with a 1.25-meter table. This machine will allow us to produce larger, heavier components beyond our current limits.
Bringing waterjet cutting in-house
For the first time, Athena Manufacturing is adding an in-house waterjet cutting system. This upgrade significantly enhances our custom metal fabrication capabilities. Here are some of the key benefits of this added capability:
Cutting near-net shapes for improved material utilization
Nesting complex geometries to reduce waste on high-cost materials like titanium, copper, and high-nickel alloys
Providing aerospace-grade parts without heat-affected zones, which is critical for aerospace contract manufacturing
By eliminating outsourced waterjet work, our team gains greater control over the process, resulting in faster turnaround times and improved quality.
A Promising Future for Austin Contract Manufacturing
Everything we are building for 2026 serves the larger purpose of improving reliability, flexibility, quality, and efficiency. By investing in industry-leading equipment and cultivating a homegrown talent pipeline, Athena Manufacturing is evolving alongside our customers and continuing to deliver the world-class contract manufacturing services they expect.
To partner with our talented, innovative team in 2026, don’t hesitate to contact us.