“Our people set us apart,” says Eric Brand, president of Co-Line Manufacturing. “Our culture is unique. We work hard, we play hard, and we always try to be different – whether it’s free-lunch Friday or a Hot Rod parade. We have a phenomenal team with diverse talent and skills. Then add the latest technology from partners like Hexagon, and stand back! It’s amazing what our team can accomplish.”
I came to Lynnville, Iowa – a town of 400 – and saw firsthand how that philosophy has built Co-Line Manufacturing into one of America’s remarkable manufacturers. Founded in 1979 by Dale and Tana Brand, Co-Line began as a small welding shop specializing in farm equipment repair. Today, it has grown into a 250-person operation with advanced manufacturing technology. The company manufactures precision components for its own Sure Latch product line and for many global brands, including Goalsetter basketball systems.
For more than four decades, Co-Line has thrived because of its commitment to teamwork, values, and technology – showing that innovation isn’t reserved for big cities or billion-dollar corporations.
Where People and Technology Meet
Co-Line’s sense of community runs deep. In 2007, when a tornado tore through the area, neighbors, employees, and customers came together to help rebuild. The company didn’t lose a single client.
“This is just worldly sticks and stones,” Dale Brand said at the time. “We will rebuild and be fine.” Co-Line’s success has always started with its people.
That’s immediately apparent when you walk through Co-Line’s doors. You don’t just see machines. You see people who take pride in every part they make. Here, digital tools, automation, and precision equipment don’t replace craftsmanship; they amplify it, helping every team member work smarter, faster, and with greater confidence.
You’ll see it all in Episode 2 of the IMTS+ series “The Architect,” brought to you by Hexagon.
Co-Line’s partnership with Hexagon started years ago with precision measurement tools. Since then, it’s evolved into a full digital manufacturing ecosystem. Today, they use Hexagon’s Radan – CAD/CAM software encompassing nesting, scheduling, and sheet-metal cutting for complex parts – and Hexagon’s Absolute Arm for real-time 3D scanning and inspection.
These tools allow the team to simulate, test, and refine designs virtually before a single part hits the floor.
“They’re a perfect example of how digital transformation doesn’t have to mean disruption,” says Doug Wood, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence lead. “It’s about connecting the data – linking design, production, and inspection – so manufacturers can make better decisions faster.”
The Power of Partnership
Of course, even the best software needs the right hardware. At Co-Line, that stack comes together through a partnership with Mazak and Hexagon, where world-class machinery meets intelligent software to turn precision into performance.
Across the shop floor, Mazak’s 5-axis Space Gear and Fabri Gear 400 Neo laser machines deliver the kind of precision and flexibility that defines advanced manufacturing. Hexagon’s Radan software ties it all together into a single digital workflow, syncing every operation. “Behind us is muscle,” says Mark Mercurio, regional manager at Mazak, as we watch operators run the 26-axis Fabri Gear Neo. “But the brains of that muscle come from the software and control technology running it.”
Not only does this software-hardware partnership enable Co-Line to deliver precision components, but it also significantly speeds up team members’ onboarding time. One operator, new to CNC laser processing, began running the Mazak multiaxis system within four weeks. A decade ago, that kind of skill jump would have taken months. Now, smarter software and intuitive controls are helping new talent thrive on the factory floor in weeks.
From Simulation to the Shop Floor
For Co-Line, “digital twin” isn’t a buzzword. It’s how they operate. Using Hexagon’s 3D scanning and simulation tools, the team creates digital replicas of both parts and machines. Every process can be tested for collisions, verified for accuracy, and optimized before production even starts.
Eric puts it best: “We can make a digital twin of a part in minutes. It saves us time, material, and headaches.”
That’s the kind of quiet innovation that defines the modern manufacturing floor – practical, data-driven, and deeply effective. Co-Line is proving that small-town manufacturers can lead the way in digital adoption.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, Co-Line is exploring how simulation can extend beyond parts and machines. The team is curious about humanoid robotics and how they might assist with repetitive or physically demanding tasks.
Resilience by Design
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 25 years in this industry, it’s that technology alone doesn’t define progress. People do.
At Co-Line, innovation is rooted in relationships: between leaders and teams, between machines and software, and between technology partners like Hexagon and Mazak, who see partnership as a competitive advantage.
Technology sharpens their edge, but it’s the people who carry the blade. The same grit that built Co-Line’s reputation keeps them moving forward – one part, one process, one innovation at a time.
That’s what makes Co-Line – and partners like Hexagon and Mazak – architects of modern manufacturing.
To read the rest of the Industry Outlook Issue of MT Magazine, click here.
