A father’s legacy helped Cape Girardeau resident Lucian Zielinski start a successful business. Zielinski followed in his father’s footsteps when he opened Cape Precision Machine LLC in 2006 with some equipment from his late father, Czeslaw Zielinski. Lucian’s father was a skilled machinist and owned and operated Baltic Precision Machine Shop in Cape Girardeau in the 70s & 80s.
With customers from Southeast Missouri as well as Illinois and Tennessee, Cape Precision Machine LLC manufactures, machines and fabricates plastic, aluminum, bronze and steel products and parts. Lucian worked at Proctor & Gamble for 20 years before leaving there to fulfill his dream of owning and operating his own machine shop.
Zielinski says he is fortunate to have great working and business relationships with his customers. “I feel every part we machine is a vitally important part of our business. The goal is to give customers the most consistent, cost effective quality parts produced in an efficient and timely manner.” This commitment to quality is echoed in the company’s philosophy, “Giving more than the customer expects.”
The company has seen a steady increase in sales over the last two years and added another employee in 2008. Additionally, Cape Precision purchased a new CNC machine in 2008 that enables the company to expand its machining capabilities. Zielinski’s wife, Molly, is the office manager for the business.
The Southeast Missouri State University Innovation Center honored Cape Precision Machine LLC and six other businesses during National Entrepreneurship Week in February of 2009. Zielinski attributes much of the success of Cape Precision Machine, LLC to the essential business planning and preparation skills he learned in Operation Jump-Start, a course offered by the Innovation Center. He said the 6-week course gave him “valuable business tools with which to succeed.” In fact, the Jump-Start entrepreneurial handbook is always close at hand in his shop, so that he can review and revise his business plan as he grows, he said. His graduation certificate is proudly displayed.