This website is best viewed in browsers such as: Edge, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. We encourage you to use one of these browsers for the best experience.
Skip to content
Northrop Grumman Corporation Logo
  • Who We Are
    • Company Leadership
    • Defining Possible
    • Global Presence
    • Investors
    • News
    • Suppliers
    • Sustainability
  • What We Do
    • Air
    • Cyber
    • Land
    • Sea
    • Space
  • Careers
    • Students and Entry Level
    • Experienced Professionals
    • Veterans
    • Search Jobs by Location
    • Life at Northrop Grumman
    • Current Employees

  • Yellow forklift in very large warehouse

    Suppliers See the Impact of Northrop Grumman’s Support

    Northrop Grumman’s ability to expedite funding to its supply base has proved critical, especially to small businesses....

  • 3-D Printed visors

    3-D Printing for a Cause

    It all started when members of Northrop Grumman’s FabLabs began recognizing a standout need within their own communities....

  • three men working on spacecraft

    Supporting Our Suppliers

    What can an essential business do to support an ecosystem of thousands of suppliers across 50 states and 51 countries....

  • five front line workers with masks and labcoats

    Employees Rally to Fight COVID-19

    Northrop Grumman employees have found creative ways to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front line workers....

  • Large U.S. flag in office

    Orizon’s Unique Partnership with Northrop Grumman Sees Them Through the COVID-19 Crisis

    Northrop Grumman stepped up to help Orizon weather the storm....

  • Enormous cinnamon roll

    Sweet Treat Turns into Sweet Surprise for Local Food Bank

    Whitney has teamed with a Portland food bank to donate her homemade giant cinnamon rolls for auction....

  • Read More Outreach Stories

Forrest Machining, Inc. Supports Their Suppliers With Help from Northrop Grumman

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused personnel shortages, product demand issues and cash flow challenges for companies around the world. Forrest Machining, Inc., an aerospace machining and assembly company in Valencia, California, has been able to work through all of these challenges with support from Northrop Grumman.

“The COVID crisis created a manpower shortage initially,” said Steve Wooten, vice president and general manager of Forrest Machining, Inc. “It was quite crippling, and it occurred up and down our supply chain.”

Northrop Grumman’s support through accelerated payments, personalized outreach and a steady flow of demand for products helped Forrest Machining manage through this crisis.

“The accelerated payments allowed us to trickle down the effect of having the escalated cash flow to suppliers,” said Ken McPherson, chief financial officer of Forrest Machining, Inc. “We immediately started writing checks to our suppliers to get them current which has improved our relationships with them. The funds also helped us cover the risk of paying furloughed employees while we worked on reimbursement from government programs.”

Forrest Machining employs over 230 people and also provided paid time off (PTO) for at-risk employees before government aid kicked in.

The aid from Northrop Grumman helped the company keep their suppliers in business. “Our key suppliers were in danger of not being able to open or pay their employees,” said Wooten. “They run on a short shoe string. We were able to help them keep an uninterrupted flow of products going.”

Forrest Machining, Inc. manufactures a series of structural airframe components for various large aircraft programs at Northrop Grumman.

Wooten has personally worked with Northrop Grumman in some capacity for more than forty years on various programs, and he considers them a true partner who cares about their suppliers.

“Northrop Grumman is my favorite company to do business with. When the crisis hit, they reached out to ask what they could do,” said Wooten. “That type of support from my customer means a lot. And when I relay that to my management team, they understand just the type of company we’re doing business with.”

  • Yellow forklift in very large warehouse

    Suppliers See the Impact of Northrop Grumman’s Support

    Northrop Grumman’s ability to expedite funding to its supply base has proved critical, especially to small businesses....

  • 3-D Printed visors

    3-D Printing for a Cause

    It all started when members of Northrop Grumman’s FabLabs began recognizing a standout need within their own communities....

  • three men working on spacecraft

    Supporting Our Suppliers

    What can an essential business do to support an ecosystem of thousands of suppliers across 50 states and 51 countries....

  • five front line workers with masks and labcoats

    Employees Rally to Fight COVID-19

    Northrop Grumman employees have found creative ways to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for front line workers....

  • Large U.S. flag in office

    Orizon’s Unique Partnership with Northrop Grumman Sees Them Through the COVID-19 Crisis

    Northrop Grumman stepped up to help Orizon weather the storm....

  • Enormous cinnamon roll

    Sweet Treat Turns into Sweet Surprise for Local Food Bank

    Whitney has teamed with a Portland food bank to donate her homemade giant cinnamon rolls for auction....

  • Read More Outreach Stories

Stay Connected

  • Facebook LogoFacebook - Northrop Grumman
  • Instagram LogoInstagram - @NorthropGrumman
  • LinkedIn LogoLinkedIn - Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Twitter LogoTwitter - @NGCNews | @NorthropGrumman
  • YouTube LogoYouTube - Northrop Grumman Media

Recent Posts

  • male holding a model of a munition

    Unfinished Business

    Learn More
  • black woman smiling in front of computer monitors

    Home Team Advantage

    Learn More
  • young woman smiling with graduation cap on

    Well Played

    Learn More

Navigation

  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Careers
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Investors
  • Suppliers
  • News
Northrop Grumman Logo
Back To Top Button A button that allows users to scroll back to the top of the web page.
  • Privacy Notice
  • Manage Cookie Preferences
  • Terms of Use
  • EEO
  • Corporate Governance
  • Workplace Accommodations
  • E-Verify
  • Suppliers
  • Contact Us

© 2023 Northrop Grumman. The Northrop Grumman name and logos are registered trademarks of Northrop Grumman.