Wilson Family of Companies Expands with Performance Engineering Acquisition

Lehigh Defense, which is located in Clarskville, TX, and a sister company of Wilson Combat, has acquired all assets of Performance Engineering, a renowned firearm component manufacturer located in Hillsboro, MO. Performance Engineering has been a trusted supplier of 1911 and AR-15 components to the firearm industry for more than four decades, and Wilson Combat has been proud to source components from it for over 30 years.

With the retirement of owners Darla and Russ Narzinski, Lehigh Defense has seamlessly integrated Performance Engineering’s manufacturing and operations into its facility in Texas. Customers can expect continuity and reliability after the transfer, with no significant changes other than an updated address. All product quality standards, SKU numbers and pricing will remain the same.

Lehigh Defense also plans to reintroduce many of the previously discontinued Performance Engineering components customers have been requesting. Additionally, the product lineup will expand with new offerings and capacity enhanced to meet industry demands.

Lehigh Defense operates an advanced Swiss screw machine facility, equipped with 21 single-spindle and one multi-spindle machine, enabling efficient production of a wide array of firearm components. In early 2022, Bill Wilson purchased Lehigh Defense, adding it to his stable of firms that already included Chip McCormick Custom, Circle WC Ranch, Khumba Bush Camp, Scattergun Technologies, Wilson Custom Ammunition and, of course, Wilson Combat.

What would later become Lehigh Design was established as Dave Fricke under the Lehigh Design name. The firm has been producing and designing copper and solid brass bullets since 2004.

In 2022 Bill Wilson also acquired New Ultralight Arms from retiring owner Melvin Forbes. Its operations moved from Granville, WV, to Wilson Combat’s headquarters in Berryville, AR. That site had undergone a $10 million expansion in 2021 that added a 16,000-square-foot machining and warehousing building. To meet demand, the company increased its workforce by roughly 20 percent at the time.