Our Story

Mill City Machine Design was founded in 2025 by Zac Harder to address a critical void in the food manufacturing industry. After 18 years at a leading global CPG firm, Zac witnessed a shift: while internal machine design teams were being phased out, the available outsourcing options often missed the mark.

We realized that food companies seeking custom equipment were often left with three imperfect choices:

• Machine Shops: Skilled at building, but often lacking the deep engineering design required for complex food production.
• Established Fabricators: Focused on selling their existing product lines rather than tackling unique, bespoke challenges.
• Large Consulting Firms: Geared toward high-complexity, controls-heavy projects with price tags that don’t align with smaller, focused initiatives.

Mill City Machine Design bridges this gap. We provide specialized design services for food companies with custom equipment needs that don’t fit the mold.

We aren’t just a service provider; we are a partner. We specialize in taking your concepts and turning them into reliable, efficient food production reality. Whether you have a clear vision or just a complex problem to solve, we provide the dedicated engineering resources to bring your ideas to life.