In 2007, our co-founder and former GM engineer, Tim Owens, built his first CNC machine in his garage—a prototype that sold immediately on eBay. With strong engineering instincts and a growing family to support, Tim set out to build a few more machines while considering his next career move. His wife and co-founder, Melissa Owens, brought expertise in marketing research, quality training, and retail management. Together, their complementary skills formed the foundation of what would become Next Wave Automation.

Every CNC machine Tim and Melissa built quickly sold. What they didn’t realize at the time was that they were creating the blueprint for their future. Their high-quality CNC machines—branded by Melissa as the CNC Shark®—were quickly recognized by both professionals and hobbyists as the best machines emerging in this new market. Woodworkers loved the CNC Shark®.

As demand grew, Tim and Melissa officially formed Next Wave Automation, secured manufacturing and warehouse space, and began hiring production staff to meet market needs. The company expanded rapidly, introducing new SHARK models that continued to receive outstanding reviews and earned placement in major woodworking retailers, including international distribution. The SHARK was a breakout success.

Growth, however, brought the challenges every successful startup must face: quality control, supply chain management, staffing, marketing, and keeping pace with an aggressive expansion curve. Yet through each stage, the Owens family stayed committed to building industry-leading CNC solutions.

Today, Next Wave Automation continues to evolve—driven by our founding principle of designing and manufacturing the world’s best CNC machines and accessories. All of our CNC SHARK machines are proudly built in Perrysburg, Ohio, in the heartland of the USA, and are recognized worldwide as among the best CNCs on the market—machines to which all others are compared.

Our next phase brought all operations and products together under one dynamic brand: NEXT WAVE CNC.

As NEXT WAVE CNC, we will continue to innovate—developing advanced CNC machines, delivering exceptional customer support, producing game-changing accessories, and expanding our network of top-tier retailers across the country.

The iconic SHARK brand is built for the future—and so are we.