Schneider Resources Holding has rapidly invested in manufacturing in ways that Paul Schneider says are historic for Northeast Wisconsin.
“We have a strategy and we are building that out,” Schneider says. “In particular when you are servicing the space industry, they are moving so quickly that we have customers asking for capacity and it is crazy.”
SRH is a “family office” investor with a strategy that has evolved in recent years to include equity investments.
“We made a commitment to invest and be controlling partners in companies a few years ago,” Schneider says. “Before that we were primarily sprinkling capital into businesses that were growth businesses but didn’t necessarily want to give up control.”
Schneider had more responsibilities at the family‑owned business Schneider National, and one of the SRH holdings, SLK Finance, was the primary vehicle for investment.
“More and more people were approaching us and saying, ‘You know what, I’m a baby boomer. I’m ready to exit. Would you be interested in buying our company?’ So a couple years ago we decided we’re going to grow fast that way,” he says.
The result has been a series of investments in medium-sized manufacturing companies that have highly skilled workforces and a plan for growth.
“Our core focus — our niche — is identifying businesses in Northeast Wisconsin as our platforms and then acquiring businesses in broader geographic areas that extend our solutions to customers,” Schneider says.
An example of that strategy was the acquisition of JR Machine of Shawano in May 2024.
In the press release announcing the acquisition, JR Machine founder Tim Tumanic said, “JR Machine is ready for growth. Building parts for the most recognizable names in space exploration has allowed us to lean into Industry 4.0 and revolutionize how we work. Now, we can reach the next stage for our customers faster.”
Within a year, the company earned a Manufacturer of the Year Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
In August 2025, SRH and JR Machine acquired Waukesha-based ETW and immediately invested an additional $1 million in new technology for the business. The investments allowed JR to respond to space industry customers that include SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Schneider says they are not launching space rockets but adds, “We have a lot of pride that some of the critical parts in those engines are coming from Northeast Wisconsin.”
Similarly, Lindquist Machine Co., acquired in September, works with the defense and nuclear industries. These are all industries that seek zero defects, and Schneider believes Northeast Wisconsin has the workforce and businesses to provide the precision machining required.
‘We are different’
What differentiates SRH from private equity investors is that it is a family investment. Schneider and partner Alex Lawton (president of C.A. Lawton Co.) both come from successful family-owned businesses.
“What we’ve been finding is that businesses in this area are more receptive to a buyer who shares their values. I come from a family business; we plan to hold the businesses long term, so we are not looking to flip the businesses,” Schneider says. “Around the country, private equity is very popular and has had a lot of success, but I think in this area more business owners are looking to find somebody who is going to carry the legacy they built and somebody that they can trust.”
Schneider says they may not be the best partner for every business. Some may find private equity or a strategic acquisition fits their goals. He says business owners who are thinking about moving on need to take the time to explore their options.
Private equity investment was considered and then rejected by the owners of a couple of SRH’s holdings, which helped lay the foundation for the next steps.
SRH wants to know what the strategy is for the business, whether there is opportunity for growth and what the owners would do if more capital was available.
Schneider says often a business owner will have an opportunity or a plan, but does not want to invest because they are ready to retire or are concerned about how long it will take to reap the benefits of a strategy or investment.
Owners help SRH complete a blueprint for the next steps in the company and are encouraged to stay part of the business. That is what happened with JR Machine, where Tim and Parker Tumanic stayed in leadership roles, but SRH added experienced executive Paul Knoll as CEO.
“We’re just trying to build upon a legacy,” Schneider says.
Building the economy
The legacy includes helping people reach their goals through the investments SRH makes and the opportunities that it creates.
Some owners are willing to stay on, which Schneider says he prefers. But many owners are ready to retire. SRH does not have a strategy regarding changing leadership when it invests in or takes an equity position in a company.
“We have a lot of talented leaders,” Schneider says. “In this area there are so many good people.”
Schneider says the investments have been successful because they are about helping people build careers and giving them the opportunity to build businesses, not just making money and getting a good return.
“The operating presidents are the people who are driving the value,” Schneider says. “Our goal is to get out of their way. They know how to run the business, but we make sure they have the capital to grow.”
That capital could come in the form of investment in equipment or artificial intelligence or, perhaps most importantly, workforce education and training.
Schneider says he is passionate about education and workforce development and sees the investments SRH is making as a way to extend those opportunities. JR Machine, for example, trains high school students, and he credits local technical colleges for the quality of their trades-focused training.
“We are creating a density of workforce in this area like nobody’s seen before,” he says. “We’ve already got five businesses that are hiring a lot of machinists, and I think it’s a great career.”
Schneider says creating a pool of talented tradespeople is an opportunity for collaboration among local manufacturers.
“I think that’s a great way to grow economic development in the area,” Schneider says. “I’d like to see more collaboration. This is about economic development in the area.”
SRH is committed to Northeast Wisconsin, and Schneider is optimistic about the potential for continued investment in manufacturing in the region.
“You’ll continue to see family offices and private equity change the landscape in this area,” he says, before teasing there is more news to come from Schneider Resources.
Schneider Resources Holding, Green Bay Partners: Paul Schneider, Alex Lawton
