About Us

Innovative Tooling Services, located in Grand Prairie, TX, was founded in November 1986 by Mr. Gene Ratcliff. From Innovative’s inception in 1984, Mark Wylie has served as General Manager, and in 1996 acquired the business and assumed the position of President/Owner of the company based in Grand Prairie, TX.

Our North Texas roots stem from Hardware and Metal Industries, an aerospace fastener company, who decided in 1984 to extend the support of their fastener business by creating a tooling support division involving Mr. Ratcliff. This division focused on airframe fastener installation and hole preparation tooling. At its inception, HMI’s tool division’s primary lines were the Hi-Shear Corporation and Huck Fastening Systems. After two short years, Mr. Ratcliff decided to purchase the tooling division from HMI and create his own company – Innovative Tooling Services.

Since 1986, Innovative Tooling Services has continued to offer tooling solutions that create value and time savings in airframe maintenance or manufacturing environments. That’s why our list of customers reads like a Who’s Who of the Aerospace Industry – Airbus, Bell Helicopter, Goodrich, BAE Systems, Bombardier, Boeing, Cessna, Beechcraft, Gulfstream, L-3 Communications, Lockheed-Martin, Northrop-Grumman, Sikorsky, Spirit Aircraft, Triumph Aerostructures, United Launch Associates, Pratt & Whitney and UTAS.

Innovative Tooling Services- For 35 years providing quality products, technical assistance, and superior customer service to a demanding Global Aerospace Community.