How a Denver CNC shop financed a $2.4M expansion to land a Lockheed Martin sub-contract.

Front Range had been quietly profitable since 2014, machining components for defense and aerospace primes. A Lockheed sub-contract opportunity arrived in early 2026 — $8.6M over three years — but required Front Range to bring two additional 5-axis CNC machines online and add a second shift inside 6 months.

Linda's local commercial banker had moved into wealth management. The new contact at the same bank didn't know the company, asked for unrelated documents, and quoted a 90-day decision timeline. Linda needed certainty in 45.

Linda's broker brought the file to a regional commercial banker on the XFundingIntel network who specifically underwrites contract-manufacturing borrowers. Three years of corporate returns, signed Lockheed letter of intent, equipment specs, and ITAR registration were submitted in a single packet.

Conditional approval came back in 9 business days at SOFR + 3.0%, 5-year amortization, secured by the new equipment and a junior position on receivables.

Equipment was ordered against the conditional approval. The full $2.4M closed at Day 47, four days inside the contractual deadline Linda had committed to Lockheed.

Both 5-axis machines were commissioned inside the 6-month window. Second-shift operations went live the following month. Lockheed is on schedule on the full $8.6M sub-contract and has begun discussing a follow-on program.

Front Range hired 14 new machinists and a quality engineer. EBITDA margin expanded 4.2 points in the trailing four quarters as fixed costs absorbed across the second shift.