Frustrated by the high cost of stationary woodworking and metalworking machinery, Grizzly Industrial, Inc. was started in 1983 by Shiraz Balolia as an alternative for anyone looking for quality machines at an affordable price.

With over a million square feet of space at our three large distribution centers and showrooms, today Grizzly Industrial is one of the largest woodworking and metalworking machinery companies in the world. Employing over 350 people nationwide and headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, Grizzly also has offices in Taiwan and China with our own engineering staff overseas.

Despite our phenomenal growth, we have never lost sight of the basics that have made us successful. Our business model has been to buy in large quantities and sell directly to the end user, bypassing the traditional dealer network and passing the savings to our customers. Our business has been built around the premise that the customer should receive the best selection, best quality, best customer service and a price that is hard to beat. This philosophy has created continuous growth year after year and a loyal following of over 1.5 million customers nationwide.

Our machines have won numerous awards for quality and value. With an intense focus on providing excellent customer service and products that will last a long time, we also have one of the largest, fully stocked parts departments in the industry with a solid inventory of over 200,000 different parts! At any given time, we have over a million parts in stock. Our in-house technical documentation department has been recognized by several magazines for having the best manuals in the industry.

We also offer a customer reference service whereby we will locate a customer near you who has purchased the equipment you are shopping for. This way, you can get a firsthand, unbiased report from someone in your area who is actually using your products. We have confidence in our products!

In order to support his hobby of metalworking, in 1976, Shiraz Balolia began buying used metal lathes, rebuilding them and reselling them for a modest profit. Soon, customers began asking for other equipment including woodworking equipment. Since Mr. Balolia had never used any woodworking machines, he went to night school to learn woodworking only to realize that woodworking machines were a lot less complex than metalworking machines. When he contacted manufacturers of locally made machines, he was bluntly told that they were "not taking any new dealers". Thus, began the machinery importation business. What began as a hobby has grown into a "hobby" of mammoth proportions with Grizzly being one of the most sought after brands in the marketplace. Although totally immersed in running the company, Mr. Balolia still finds time to do metalworking and woodworking projects in the evenings that include some very intensely inlaid guitars (see them on this web site). He has a complete woodworking and machine shop in his home that includes CNC equipment and, essentially, his dream shop!