SOMERSET, KY – What began as a leap of faith has grown into a thriving advanced manufacturing business for a young Somerset entrepreneur.
Winston Crawford entered the automation industry in early 2020. Shortly afterward, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, he was laid off. Still intrigued by his new skills, the then 20-year-old used a stimulus check in 2020 to buy his first piece of equipment.
Crawford started Limestone Manufacturing LLC in 2021. He bought a 1993 HAAS VF3 in early 2022. He soon realized he could profit from his skills, and his business took off.
Limestone Manufacturing offers comprehensive services from design and product development to the production of completed parts and assemblies. The company offers CNC machining, fabrication, 3-D printing, automation and reverse engineering.
Growing up on a family farm, Crawford learned that versatility is a strength, a lesson he applies in his company.
“I would describe my business as versatile,” Crawford said. “We have experience in many different processes and techniques. That flexibility lets us address a wide array of projects. I believe versatility is essential for a small shop in our industry. My motto as an entrepreneur is, ‘There is always a solution.’”
For two years, the 26-year-old operated solo, slowly gaining orders from nearby companies as his skills became known.
“It just kept growing from there,” he said.
In 2023, Crawford attended the SEED Contracting Symposium. SKED and Kentucky’s Fifth District Congressman Hal Rogers developed this program. There, he learned about the industry and met industry representatives. These connections gave his shop momentum.
He connected with contractors from various levels and introduced his shop to representatives of global prime contractors.
“Where do I start with what the SEED symposium has done for me?” he said. “I’ve made priceless connections, received industry insight, earned customers and met many people I now call friends.”
Crawford says he’s gained at least one customer each year since he began attending the symposium in 2023.
“I’ve made connections with other businesses in our area that provide services that complement ours,” he explained. SEED has helped us tremendously with widening the projects we can target. SEED does a great job of putting people who can all gain something from each other in the same room.”
Congressman Rogers said Crawford’s contracting business success is a good example of hard work meeting opportunity.
“Limestone Manufacturing is a testament to the ingenuity and work ethic of small businesses in our region. When you couple the skills of a business owner like Winston Crawford with SKED’s investments, certification training, and federal network, we can turn vision into reality,” said Congressman Rogers. “We’re working diligently to prepare more manufacturers in southern and eastern Kentucky for federal contracting opportunities, and SKED has paved the runway for our businesses to take off with job growth across our region.”
Much of his work is confidential. Contracting with the defense industry requires discretion.
“We now prime the majority of our contracts. Although we can’t talk about specifics, we have made things that operate underwater, on land, and in the sky. The certifications we have worked hard to obtain allow us to work directly with all government departments.”
The guidance and direction from his partnership with SKED and SEED proved pivotal, helping him complete the certifications needed to meet industry standards.
Since then, he’s earned several certifications, including HUBZone, SBA Small Business, and ISO 9001:2015. He also qualified for the Joint Certification Program. His business recently earned its AS9100 QMS certification, required by the aerospace industry.
“Having a good relationship with SKED is like having a supporter always on your side. Their staff has always been an advocate for the business, and they don’t hesitate to recommend us to anyone they can. The connections and insights they’ve gotten us are invaluable.”
Winston Crawford, owner of Limestone Manufacturing LLC
Now, five years in, Crawford is looking to the future. Sustainability and autonomy remain important goals for him as the company moves forward.
Limestone Manufacturing currently employs three full-time and three part-time men and women.
My vision over the next five years is to continue expanding Limestone’s capabilities. In this industry, many projects involve multistep, post-processing requirements. The more we can do in-house, the less reliant we are on others. My goal is clear: deliver seamless, start-to-finish service to a broader range of customers and industries.
SKED Executive Director Brett Traver has worked closely with Crawford over the years.
“Winston has the ingenuity and desire to build his business and its capabilities,” Traver said. “He just needed help getting his foot in the door. We are very proud of his work. We are here to help make those connections.”
Another valuable connection Crawford made was with the Kentucky APEX Accelerator, a program funded in part by the Department of Defense (DoD) to coach and train Kentucky-based companies on how to successfully procure local, state and federal contracting opportunities. Eric Byrd, the program’s Senior Procurement Consultant for the Eastern Kentucky region, has been working with Crawford since 2023 to help position Limestone Manufacturing for prime defense contracts.
Byrd said, “From our very first meeting, Winston was highly motivated to work directly with the defense industry. We walked through what would be required, including compliance objectives and how to go about the next steps, such as obtaining federal certifications, completing federal registrations, preparing business proposals, and reviewing countless contract opportunities that matched Limestone Manufacturing LLC’s strong capabilities.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to see Limestone Manufacturing LLC’s business expand as a manufacturer that supports DoD and U.S. military agencies. SKED and the Kentucky APEX Accelerator work well together to find, develop and refer motivated businesses like Winston’s to participate in SEED and form those vital relationships in the defense industry.”
Crawford’s company is not the only business to have grown as a result of his participation in the SEED contracting symposium. However, his willingness to develop and pursue certifications has put him on track to be among the most successful.
