About Pierson Workholding
We design, machine, assemble and ship high-density workholding from our shop in Simi Valley, California: pallet systems, vacuum workholding, vises and clamps that minimize idle machine time and the labor it takes to keep a spindle cutting.
Our Purpose
To be a shining example that lights a path for innovation.
Our Mission
To advance the state of CNC machining…
By equipping, teaching and inspiring…
A community of forward-thinking manufacturers.
Our Story
Founder Jay Pierson is a fifth-generation entrepreneur and a third-generation manufacturer. From 2002 to 2009 he ran Pierson Industries, a one-man job shop with slow growth and significant stress. Most of his time went into tools and methods handed down by generations of machinists, and he saw that the industry needed new resources to raise efficiency, expand profit margins and reduce stress at the same time.
His fresh approach was to hold multiple workpieces in a machine at once, minimizing idle machine time and labor. It led to incredible gains in efficiency. Today that approach is called high-density workholding, and it came to life in our pallet systems.
Jay tells the story of how we went Lean
Milestones
2002
Pierson Industries
Jay founds a one-man job shop and runs it until 2009.
2010
All In on Workholding
After early success with his original pallet system, Jay takes a leap of faith and stops all job shop work to develop more products and rebrands the company as Pierson Workholding.
2015
Lean Manufacturing
After five years of rapid growth, the company embraces Lean and grows even faster, far more efficiently, with a better place to work.
Today
A Community of Makers
Sharing our results online grew into a following of forward-thinking manufacturers, and it shaped our purpose.
- Since 2010
- Reorganized as Pierson Workholding to focus fully on workholding products
- 65+ Countries
- Supplied globally
- All 50 US States
- Shipped from our headquarters in Simi Valley, California
- 20,000+ Customers
- Using Pierson Workholding to streamline production
Our Values
A great company is built by people with strong character, working as a team, pursuing a positive culture and delivering excellence.
Keep a Healthy Mindset
- Peace
- We elevate the pursuit of peace in order to minimize the negative aspects of work by building a low stress, enjoyable workplace. A peace-filled person has a better outlook on life, which provides more balance, clarity, and creativity.
- Positive Failure
- Failures are opportunities to improve, not to make excuses. Instead of attaching a negative emotion to failure, we look for it, analyze it, improve it, then celebrate the process.
- Focus
- We work with intentionality, professionalism, and excellence to keep our culture strong and to maximize personal satisfaction to achieve our mission.
Build Healthy Relationships
- Empathy
- We take the perspective of others into account. We walk a mile in the shoes of customers, vendors and teammates and ask, “Would I want this product, or be spoken to in this manner?”
- Respect
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. By respecting others, we elevate their strengths regardless of our differences.
- Inspiration
- When we improve a product, process or relationship, we share it, inside the company and publicly. A toxic environment hides wins and losses.
Create Healthy Processes
- Lean Manufacturing
- Lean is built on respect for people and resources. We identify and eliminate waste through continual improvement.
- Continual Improvement
- We aim to improve each hour in our areas of ownership. By refining our products and processes, then sharing our improvements to inspire others, we fight the disease of stagnant manufacturing.
- Extreme Ownership
- We take full responsibility for our mistakes and of those we lead. We resist assigning blame and instead prioritize solutions, taking the path of humility to look for areas to improve.
How We Improve Products and Processes
Every improvement has to pass these attributes in order. A higher one can never be compromised for a lower one: we will not make something faster if it is less safe.
Safety
Nothing matters more than our health and safety.
Quality
Lack of quality is a product or process with a disease.
Simplicity
True genius is to master a subject, then simplify it for others to use.
Speed
True speed comes from excellent processes that achieve results sooner, and not by forcing faster movements.
What We Make
High-density workholding that helps machine shops make more parts with less setup and less labor.
Seen Across the Machining Community
Practical Machinist: Pierson Workholding Shop Tour, Part 1
NYC CNC: Lean Machine Shop Tour of Pierson Workholding
John Grimsmo: Tour of Pierson Workholding and Its Lean Shop
Inside Our Shop
Our 12-part shop tour on the Pierson Plus YouTube channel walks through our Lean layout, work cells, paperless forms, purchasing, assembly and design for manufacturing.
Part 1: Our Lean Layout
Part 2: U-Shaped Cells and Efficient Movement
Part 3: Simplicity + Focus = Fire
Part 4: Say Goodbye to Paper Forms
Part 5: Bins, Magnets and Spindles, Oh My!
Part 6: Lights-Out Money Maker
Part 7: Tools That Literally Saved the Shop
Part 8: The Easiest Purchasing System
Part 9: How Long Does It Take?
Part 10: Computer Error = Production Nightmare
Part 11: Assembly Organization Tricks
Part 12: Design for Manufacturing
Visit or Contact Us
Questions about a setup, an order or a custom solution? Our team is here to help.
- Phone
M-F 6:30am-3:30pm PST
(800) 352-2894
Option 1 – Sales
Option 2 – Tech Support
Option 3 – Accounting
Option 4 – VacWatch Support- Fax
(888) 818-9267
- Headquarters
Pierson Workholding
671 Cochran St.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
Watch how to get here