Beehive Industries Acquires Two Cincinnati Area Machine Shops to Accelerate Production Scale for 3D-Printed Jet Engines
Acquisition of Able Tool and subsidiary Planet Products Corporation expands precision aerospace machining capacity and adds over 120 years of expertise to the Beehive team. Company establishes dual Centers of Excellence in Ohio and Tennessee as Frenzy™ engine enters full-rate production.
DENVER, Colo., June 30, 2026 — Beehive Industries, an American manufacturer of advanced propulsion systems for uncrewed aerial defense applications, today announced it has acquired the assets of two machine shops, Able Tool Corporation and its subsidiary, Planet Products Corporation, located in the Greater Cincinnati area.
The move comes as Beehive’s Frenzy engine transitions to full-rate production.
Over the past year, Beehive has validated its Frenzy 8 engine through ground and high-altitude testing, demonstrating performance, durability, and readiness. That momentum was reinforced by a recent $29.7 million contract award from the U.S. Air Force, accelerating the program’s path to deployment.
Now, Beehive is scaling to meet demand. This growth is also bolstered by the company's announcement earlier this month of the purchase of 30 EOS machines, marking the single-largest publicly disclosed purchase of EOS printers. The multimillion-dollar investment more than doubles Beehive’s metal additive manufacturing capacity, allowing the firm to rapidly accelerate high-rate production of its 3D-printed jet engines. The acquisitions of Able Tool and Planet Products deliver immediate, production-ready machining capability, pairing precision aerospace manufacturing with more than 120 years of combined experience. The result: Beehive can scale faster, with less risk, and at the pace its customers require. Together, these investments are building the manufacturing system required to produce 8,000+ engines annually.
It also establishes a new operating model: Beehive will stand up two dedicated Centers of Excellence: a Production Machining COE in Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, and a Production Additive Manufacturing COE in Knoxville, Tennessee. Cincinnati becomes Beehive’s hub for high-volume machining. Knoxville becomes the center for additive production, supporting multiple metal printing modalities and post-processing. Each site is purpose-built. Each is optimized for its discipline. Together, they form a focused, production-first system built for speed, precision, and repeatability.
Founded in 1984 by Dan and Jan Hayes, Able Tool brings a proven machining operation with deep aerospace expertise. Planet Products adds a legacy dating back to 1947. Together, they have delivered precision components for decades, experience that now becomes foundational to Beehive’s ability to scale.
“This is a move for scale,” said Darius Ehteshami, Chief Operations and Finance Officer at Beehive Industries. “Frenzy is entering full-rate production, and our customers need engines now. This acquisition gives us immediate precision machining capability, proven talent, and the operational experience to scale with confidence, at the speed the modern warfighter demands.”
For the leadership of Able Tool and Planet Products, the decision was about more than continuity, it was about mission.
“Beehive is building something that matters,” said Paul Hayes, President and Co-Owner of Able Tool and Planet Products. “We’ve spent decades establishing a precision machining footprint supporting American manufacturing. Joining Beehive allows that experience to have even greater impact: a mission to power American defense while scaling at a level we couldn’t achieve alone.”
“What Beehive is doing, bringing advanced manufacturing and propulsion together at scale, is the future. This was the right next step for our people, our capabilities, and the legacy we’ve built,” said Dan Hayes, Co-Founder of Able Tool and Co-Owner of Able Tool and Planet Products.
The acquisition also creates new opportunities across both locations. Beehive will continue to grow its workforce in machining, additive manufacturing, and engineering, offering clear paths for deep technical specialization and cross-functional mobility.
About Beehive Industries
Beehive Industries is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in the design and development of advanced, additively manufactured jet engines for uncrewed aerial defense applications. Leveraging innovative additive manufacturing techniques, Beehive delivers high-performance propulsion systems with unmatched speed, affordability, and scalability to meet the evolving needs of the warfighter and strengthen American defense superiority. For more information, visit www.beehive-industries.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Walker
Director of Communications
alex.walker@beehiveind.com
720.731.2400 (call or text)