US Manufacturing: Inside CLN of South Florida

Last week, I met up with McKenzie Reed who manufactures some bad ass machines and sells them to wholesale sign manufacturers.

I had the opportunity to tour his facility in Bel Glade, Florida and see firsthand the innovative work they’re doing.

Two men in black polo shirts viewed from behind, looking at a large blue milling machine inside a CLN of South Florida manufacturing facility

Exterior of the CLN office, a metal-sided warehouse building with a white entry door and CLN Office sign, parking lot in the foreground

Manufacturing in the USA

Manufacturing in the USA is a hot topic right now. And for good reason – companies like CLN of South Florida are proving that American manufacturing is not just alive, but thriving with innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Inside CLN of South Florida

McKenzie Reed, the owner of CLN of South Florida runs a 100% manufacturing operation specializing in three-axis CNC router tables and a machine called a channel letter bender.

Their flagship product, the Fusion, boasts a patent making it the fastest machine in the industry.

CLN-branded blue CNC router on the factory floor of a large open warehouse, ceiling lights and steel structure visible overhead

During my visit, I also witnessed their 5×10 graphics finisher in its finishing stages – literally watching a machine building itself.

These aren’t small-scale operations either; CLN sells these machines to large industrial scale wholesale sign manufacturers, including Fortune 500 companies.

Man in a CLN polo shirt standing with arms crossed in front of a CNC machine inside the CLN of South Florida manufacturing facility

Technology Behind Industrial Signs

The machinery at CLN is designed specifically for the sign industry.

Their two flagship products work in tandem:

The Fusion plus channel letter machine bends channel letter return, which gives industrial signs their structure.
The CNC router tables cut the faces and backs of the signs.

Customers typically purchase multiple machines at once, allowing them to complete industrial exterior signs from start to finish.

Large teal and black dimensional letters spelling US on a workbench, with a wall of parts bins in the background

The process is impressive: the Fusion bends the coil, the routers cut the faces and backs, then these pieces are assembled, clinched in the back, and the result is an industrial letter ready to illuminate the exterior of buildings.

American Innovation

What struck me most during the tour was seeing American manufacturing innovation in action.

Every machine is built on-site, and the team was preparing to showcase their work at the Industrial Sign Association Sign Expo, their largest trade show of the year.

Despite McKenzie towering over me during the tour (I looked like an ant next to him!), the experience was enlightening and showcased the precision and quality that goes into these American-made machines.

Two men smiling inside the CLN warehouse, one in a light shirt and cap and one in a CLN polo shirt

Rand Larsen in a CLN polo shirt talking with a visitor in a white cap on the CLN of South Florida factory floor

Supporting US Manufacturing

If there’s one thing my visit to CLN of South Florida reinforced, it’s that we need more U.S. manufacturers like McKenzie and his team.

Companies creating specialized, innovative machinery that serves other American businesses are the backbone of a strong manufacturing sector.

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