Donald Holbrook established North Easton Machine Company in 1964. When the two partners of Mr. Holbrook's former firm, Easton Machine Products, split and sold the company's assets at auction, Mr. Holbrook bought his first Brown & Sharpe cam screw machines from them.

North Easton Machine Company was established by him in a portion of his two-car garage at his North Easton, Massachusetts, residence. He ran his own machines after work until midnight most nights while working full time for Machine Craft in Whitman, Massachusetts.

To assist with his midnight work, his wife Marie would place daytime orders for supplies and equipment as well as accept delivery. Donald finally quit his job and started working full-time on the company.