Novo Modo’s entire operation is climate controlled allowing for QC to take place alongside production. They have a “no air gun use outside the machines” rule ensuring a clean environment. A third Hermle C250 and Wenzel CMM will be installed before the end of the year.
When CNC West Magazine does interviews and says, “just start from the beginning” it usually initiates “after high school, family business, or after I got out of the military,” but Novo Modo’s president Joseph Alonso took it way back to when he was 14 years old. Nothing like commencing an interview with “living off grid”, “sleeping in a bathtub as a kid”, and “becoming emancipated” all before starting your manufacturing career. But who doesn’t love a good origin story, especially one with a twist – Joseph was diagnosed legally blind by age 20. Thankfully Joseph isn’t interested in becoming a Marvel villain, but his journey into the world of machining is as unconventional as his vision for Novo Modo.
At the age of 14 Joseph’s parents decided they would divorce and moving with either of them was nothing he wanted to do. He had until he was 16 to figure things out but at that age choices were limited. He knew he needed a plan, and quickly. Originally, he aspired to become a chiropractor or a veterinarian, but financial limitations made traditional higher education seem unattainable. He explored vocational options at the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center, where he found his passion for machining. The Skills Center had a machining program and a welding program. “I was more interested in welding, but my mother worked at a machine shop, so that’s how I knew what one was,” tells Joseph. “Skills Centers are high school programs where you take three periods of the school day on their campus learning a trade. I went down to apply, but welding was full. So I checked out my second choice which was machining where I took the aptitude test and aced it. It was that day that I met Tom Clemens. He and his wife Debbie became a big part of my life, really helping to set me on this path.” At 16 Joseph sought emancipation and worked 40 hours a week while continuing to attend school. “I’ve always been different,” describes Joseph. “My parents didn’t even fight me on emancipation. Their only concern was where I was going to live. I found a job quickly and the Clemens Family rented me an apartment for $200 a month. I finished the machining program ahead of schedule, competed in two national machining Skills USA competitions, and finished high school. My first year at Skills USA I took 18th and 3rd the second year. That 3rd place finish solidified things; I was going to be a machinist. I came back and told my boss I got 3rd place, and he said “congratulations, don’t get a big head, go make some parts.” My reward: Figure out a better way to produce Synrad laser tubes. They took us 3 hours per part to make, and I got it down to 45 minutes. I knew I had a knack, but still didn’t know where it was going to take me. By the time I graduated high school I had worked for several shops and gained a ton of experience in a very short time.”
Joseph’s aptitude for the craft was evident. His early success cemented his commitment to a career in machining, setting the stage for a life defined by innovation and determination. Machining has taken Joseph all over the Pacific Northwest to some of the best manufacturing centers in the country. At the age of 25, Joseph’s manufacturing journey gave him the opportunity to teach at a community college, then landing him a position at Microsoft in inventions and prototypes, and finally, to Mount Vernon, Washington where he launched Novo Modo. Along the way not only did he learn he had been going blind, but he lost a years’ worth of memory in a snowboarding accident, met who would become his wife, and found the motivation to go against never wanting to open his own machine shop. “I’m fortunate that I had several bosses and mentors that understood how to get the best out of me,” reflects Joseph. “They knew how to inspire me to be better and better. I never set out to own a Machine Shop because I found joy in helping others grow their business. I thrive on teaching people what I know and embracing the challenges of advanced machining. I’m always looking for a new challenge, at one point I left a high paying management job in aerospace to take a lower paying position just to learn medical device machining. That’s where I met the woman who would become my wife 12 years later. The medical company approached me about becoming a shift lead, even though I did not want another leadership role. I rejected the pursuit but provided an alternative idea – ‘What if I manage them through teaching, influence and guidance, but not take the official role as Lead or Manager.’ They were excited by the idea and gave me the evening shift to try it out. I had two jobs at that company: Machine Programming during the day and Team Builder at night. I branded my own form of lean called “SimplIFI Manufacturing”. SIMPLe Ideas For Improvement in Manufacturing. We implemented it on my team and then throughout the shop. Some of those who practiced what I preached are still high performers to this day.”
Joseph is still legally blind and wears special contacts that let him see. He was going blind his entire life, but it wasn’t diagnosed until he was 20. He has an advanced form of keratoconus in both eyes. “Most people only get it in one eye and its typically misdiagnosed,” explains Joseph. “The doctor pointed out that I was the luckiest person to get it in both. And she hoped I didn’t drive myself to the appointment. At the time there was really no cure, but through a random connection at age 25, I was introduced to a doctor who specialized in my condition, and by age 27 and many trials, he fitted me for some specialized contacts that corrected most of my vision and seems to have greatly slowed the degeneration. Once I was diagnosed and before they found a solution is when I really dove into education. I took a couple teaching jobs at the local colleges and trade schools. I didn’t need to see to instruct. I’d tell my TA how I was blind and that they needed to be my eyes. Even now I think of myself as being a teacher. Eventually I found my way to Microsoft as part of their advanced prototype and inventions department. It felt like I had hit the top and I really thought I would retire there. We made amazing things, especially in the philanthropic arena. It ended up not being the end all job that I hoped, and I left during Covid. My plan was to just hang out for a few years or so and find a new purpose, maybe try my hand at being a financial planner. Well, you see how that worked out.”
The idea of Novo Modo was just a concept, and one Joseph’s wife was not fully on board with at first. Her experience in the industry and her experience with him were enough to remind Joseph that he never wanted to be the owner. “I trust my wife’s expertise,” tells Joseph. “She’s been in this business a long time, but my justification was that this concept wasn’t going to be just another machine shop. My business coach Mike Dunlop of Net-Inspect one day just told me to open a place doing things the way I want. I penciled out a few ideas on his plane coming back from IMTS and put it into a business plan. He didn’t like it. I wrote business plan after business plan, and it wasn’t until the 4th or 5th one, a company focused on my expertise in 5-Axis Machining Solutions, that he said, “that’s it, do this, you’ve found your thing. I was, and am, hellbent to completely change what it means to launch a machine shop.”
The exploratory process involved assessing the best machinery options, fostering partnerships with machine tool builders, and outlining his operational philosophy. Joseph’s goal was clear: to create a high-end, innovative manufacturing facility that leverages advanced technology while maintaining a supportive work culture. In 2022 he started by jumping on LinkedIn and asking the question to the universe, “if you were going to build a high-end 5 axis prototype manufacturing facility what type of machine would you use?” “I interrogated every machine tool builder who thought they had a machine worth buying,” details Joseph. “It was crazy how quickly they fell off. The ones that stuck around were all great options like GF Mikron, Hermle, and GROB. I was looking for a partner, not just a tool, so what it came down to was their reputation, their willingness to work with a small start-up, and the service they provide. Long story short Hermle helped me to find a loan and I’ve got two Hermle C250 5 axis machining centers on my floor with a third being installed before the end of 2024.”
Before loading a block of material in the mill a Team Member utilizes HWR’s Solid Stamp to emboss the raw material. The process is fast, accurate, and repeatable. The stamped material is then loaded into the matching HWR vise which is mounted to the zero-point top plate in the Hermle C250.
Strategic partnerships became integral to Novo Modo’s foundation. “Hermle bought into the Novo Modo concept with the idea of us promoting their machines by making great parts and sharing our experience with others,” touts Joseph. “This type of collaboration is how we based all our other purchases. MFG Empire for example specializes in websites and branding for the manufacturing trade. Our partners talk about us, and we talk about them. This also includes Wenzel for CMMs, Verisurf and HyperMill for programming software, HWR for work holding solutions, QualiChem for coolant, FRAISA for cutting tools, you get it. We all work together. It isn’t because I get stuff for free, because I really don’t. It’s because they deliver what I need, when we need it. Hermle didn’t help me acquire over a million dollars in machines, just so I can do an interview with CNC West Magazine. They build amazing machine tools and supply us with incredible support that I am happy to talk to about to anyone who wants to listen.”
The Novo Modo difference isn’t just with industry partners. It might start there, but it finishes with the employees. Drawing on principles learned during his varied career, Joseph emphasizes the importance of teamwork, mentorship, and job satisfaction in an environment that’s conducive to creative problem-solving “I want to foster a culture that inspires employees while producing high-quality work,” tells Joseph. “Everyone is on salary here. We have an agreement to go to an “economic salary” during inevitable downturns in the market, and all keep our jobs. Discretionary bonuses are a real thing here. Everyone gets paid more when we are hustling and busting out parts. So right now, a project we are working on is a quick turn, high precision, short production run and everyone is earning an extra $500 a paycheck as appreciation for this work. No extra hours needed, just added on top of their pay. When the company is doing well, we all are making more money. We are also looking differently at how to navigate healthcare and retirement. Everyone gets the same stipend amount to purchase their own healthcare. My employees love being able to get what they need and not pay for what they don’t. If they don’t want it because their spouse has great coverage, then that’s fine too. Pocket the extra money. Retirement is tricky. I’ve been at small and large shops and never once really liked any company options. I’ve always done better investing myself. So again, every employee gets the same extra amount in their check for investing in their retirement. A couple of my guys are young, and we helped them set up accounts and build their portfolios. By treating everyone with value we have eliminated a lot of internal employee issues. I have two rules: the shop should always be running and try not to have more than one person off at a time. It is up to my guys to set their hours, schedule time off, and get the work done. You need a week off to go visit your family? No problem, but it needs to be negotiated with your fellow workers. Again, salary employees, so no one is missing paid days or missing out on extra OT. Work it out amongst yourselves and I have no issues. Being employed at a place like Microsoft profoundly changed the way I look at work culture. Take snacks for example. Microsoft kept us well fed and hydrated as part of our employee package. Novo Modo doesn’t have big tech money, but I do have a fully stocked kitchen with snacks and drinks. You must feed the brain to feed the machines. Something as little as knowing you have food and drink at work makes a difference.”
Novo Modo is AS9100 certified/ITAR registered and partnered with Wenzel for their CMM needs. Each machine tool has its own CMM.
“If you bring us a part, I will find a way to make it,” continues Joseph. “I rarely say I can’t do something. We are famous for fast turnaround and the highest quality. But, with that can come a price. We can generally be 3 days or less on a complex prototype. These projects we set a NTE price point and away we go. I talk to so many shop owners who are averse to the risk. Their lead time is 4 weeks for a prototype. A solution just costs time, money, and material. These space companies need it done now and they typically have the budget. If the customer is willing to pay why not do it in 3 days. I can be three weeks into production by the time others get the first part signed off on their 4-week turnaround. We are small, we are skilled, we are flexible, and we are so willing to take on what other organizations don’t want to touch. We mostly do one or two, maybe 5 parts, but there are jobs out there in the thousands because no one can or wants to make it. It isn’t easy money, but it is good money if you deliver quality parts on time.”
Joseph’s journey establishing Novo Modo illustrates the transformative power of resilience and the vision of a legally blind man. His efforts to redefine what a machine shop can be reflects a desire to disrupt the status quo and inspire change in the manufacturing industry. “Ridding myself of common industry frustrations led to this point,” concludes Joseph. “How can I take my experiences, the good and the bad, and shape that into a successful formula. I know my backstory is long, but being different has been my life, and now it is the way I started Novo Modo. Novo Modo is “new way” in Latin, and this is a new way of thinking. I’m not for everybody, and that’s ok, but I think this industry can change for the better. Owners can make money, employees can make a good living, and we can keep making quality parts in America.”
Joseph is visually impaired, but he can see a clear future for Novo Modo. By harnessing the potential of advanced technologies, nurturing talent, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, Novo Modo aims to be a beacon of change in the industry. The ultimate goal is to formulate a franchise model and deploy individually managed Novo Modo locations about 30-60 miles apart throughout the Pacific Northwest. With an emphasis on quality partnerships, and empathetic leadership, Novo Modo sets a promising precedent for the future of manufacturing in America.