After more than three decades in the machining industry, Brian O’Rell, President and Owner of Vanderhorst Brothers, Inc. in Simi Valley, California, has one recurring thought when reflecting on his shop’s evolution:
“I really wish I had found Matsuura much earlier. I couldn’t be happier with my Matsuura machines,” O’Rell said.
Brian’s story began as a teenager. At 19, he made two life-changing decisions when he married his wife, Juno, and he discovered his passion for precision machining. Born in Glendale and raised in Burbank, California, O’Rell grew up enjoying woodworking and baseball. But once he stepped into a machine shop, his focus shifted entirely to creating complex parts and solving manufacturing challenges with precision and creativity.
In 1983, after honing his skills in various shops and running his own business, O’Rell Engineering, he joined Vanderhorst Brothers, Inc. He was drawn to the values of founders Ed and Hank Vanderhorst, whose approach to quality, integrity, and personal service matched his own.
Eighteen years later, in 2000, Brian and Juno purchased the business. Today, Vanderhorst Brothers operates out of a 22,000 square foot facility in the heart of Simi Valley. It is truly a family operation. Juno serves as Controller, their son Bob is the shop’s 5-axis programmer, daughter Bridget works in inspection, and their dog Molly greets visitors at the front door.
Despite the company’s growth and success, it wasn’t until 2007 that O’Rell discovered what Matsuura could offer.
At the time, he had just spent nearly $2 million on machines from another builder, only to be told they could not deliver the 5-axis rotary table he needed.
“I was supposed to get a 5-Axis Rotary Table to run 5-Axis parts, and the company told me at the last minute they couldn’t do it,” he said.
That disappointment opened the door for a conversation with Selway Machine Tool, and they encouraged O’Rell to visit a shop in Northern California running Matsuura machines.
“This guy came out of his shop to greet us in flip flops and Bermuda shorts, and he was so relaxed. I could hear his three Matsuuras humming and he explained how he went from 90 employees to 15, and they only worked eight hours a day, but his Matsuuras were running and working for him all night and over the weekends. I decided right there that I had to figure out how to do it,” O’Rell said.
Soon after, Vanderhorst Brothers purchased its first Matsuura MAM72-35V, a 5-axis vertical machining center with 32 pallets and 300-tool capacity. The impact was immediate.
“We got the machine installed and ran four brand new jobs on it. The Matsuura was running for us well before the machines I had spent $1.9 million on,” O’Rell said.
The MAM72-35V is part of Matsuura’s flagship line of automated 5-axis machines. Known for their ability to run lights-out, the MAM72 Series is built for manufacturers who need reliability, precision, and high production throughput. With unattended operation across nights and weekends, these machines significantly reduce idle time and increase spindle utilization.
By 2012, O’Rell’s first MAM72-35V was averaging 675 hours of production each month, nearly maxing out the available machine time.
Recognizing the need for more capacity, he added a second MAM72-35V in December of that year.
“I have never dealt with a better company than Selway. Installation couldn’t have gone better. We pulled out two horizontals and put the MAM in their footprint,” he said.
His confidence in Matsuura grew even stronger after visiting Matsuura Machinery USA in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“I was so impressed with the feel of the facility. All of the people there in St. Paul are great. Even, Mr. Matsuura made a point to greet us and made sure to let us know that he is there for us. That is class,” he said.
Today, O’Rell regularly opens his doors to manufacturers curious about 5-axis machining or interested in seeing Matsuura technology in action. By his recommendation alone, many have chosen to invest in Matsuura.
“I have never regretted a day that I partnered with Matsuura and Selway. There is not a better made machine,” O’Rell said.
Vanderhorst Brothers, Inc.
1715 Surveyor Ave.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
(805) 583-3333
www.vbinc.com