In a quiet stretch of Sterling Heights’ industrial corridor, TARUS has spent the past 40 years building some of the most precise, powerful machines in the world.

With its large 5-axis CNC and Gundrill capabilities, this Michigan manufacturer plays a key role in strategic national sectors like defense and nuclear energy—industries where precision isn’t just important, it’s critical.

“We’re a bit of a unicorn,” says George Cook, vice president of sales and marketing at TARUS. “There’s only a handful of companies in the U.S. that can build the kind of tooling we do.”

But TARUS isn’t just thinking about machines anymore. As it celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the company is expanding into something new: enterprise software. Developed in-house and now launching to the broader market, TARUS’s custom-built platform—VERAX ERP—is designed to bring Industry 4.0 capability to manufacturers who, like them, need more than a cookie-cutter system to manage complex operations.

And that kind of forward thinking isn’t unusual at TARUS.

“We started out making EDM machines, and we no longer make EDM machines,” Cook says. “Because we’re vertically integrated, and we’re very nimble, and all of our machines are custom… we can kind of turn on a dime to where the next opportunity is.”

A Michigan Comeback Story

Cook knows something about bold pivots. After building and exiting a profitable SaaS company in Silicon Valley—with no outside investors and no debt—he left the coast behind and returned to the Midwest. The decision was driven by both personal values and what he saw as a real opportunity to do meaningful work.

“I did my research,” he says. “There aren’t many soft, pure-play software companies out of Michigan, let alone in Metro Detroit, and let alone that are focused on manufacturing.”

Joining TARUS, he found a company rooted in legacy and poised to scale.
“I wouldn’t have taken this job if I didn’t see the opportunity to make an impact,” he says.

The Power of Place

TARUS’s story is deeply tied to Sterling Heights. Founded in 1984, the company has stayed put even as its work has scaled to serve clients across North America. That commitment, Cook says, is partly because of the rare kind of ecosystem Michigan provides—one where local government doesn’t just talk about business development, but shows up to make it happen.

“There’s no other city that just goes out of its way to make sure companies like TARUS feel like they’re supported,” Cook says. “And not just feel like—they actually do stuff. They’re really incredible.”



He contrasts it with his experience in Chicago, where he now lives.

“In Chicago, I’ve been plugged into the business community. Chicago and the state of Illinois… they really support big business,” he says. “But in Metro Detroit, there’s this kind of whole-of-government approach. Macomb County, Sterling Heights—they make an honest-to-God effort to make sure that every member of this ecosystem thrives. Everyone’s talking to each other. Everyone’s working together.”

That collaboration shows up not only in TARUS’s growth, but in how the company is able to stay agile, take risks, and build long-term partnerships with other firms in the region.

“What my background teaches me is how special what you guys have here in Metro Detroit is,” Cook says. “It’s the support. The honest engagement. There’s nothing like it anywhere else.”

Built For What's Next 

As TARUS looks to the future, it’s doubling down on both hardware and software. In addition to supplying precision tooling for major manufacturers, TARUS is one of the few companies in the country capable of building components for nuclear energy facilities.

“As long as the nuclear energy industry continues to grow and be supported, we see growth there,” Cook says.



Meanwhile, VERAX ERP is already gaining traction, with adopters in the U.S. and Canada and new deals underway—including potential clients right in Sterling Heights. For TARUS, it’s proof that modern manufacturing doesn’t have to come from the coasts—it can be built right here in Michigan.

And that’s part of what makes the company’s 40th anniversary feel like more than a milestone. It’s a statement.

“I’ve been to every major metro in the country—literally, at least ten times each,” Cook says. “What you guys have here… you don’t find this kind of synergy anywhere else.”

A Moment to Celebrate

The City of Sterling Heights plans to recognize TARUS at an upcoming City Council meeting—a small but meaningful nod to the company’s staying power and ambition.

“We have a hell of a story to tell,” Cook says.

And with the launch of VERAX, the growing relevance of nuclear and defense work, and a team that’s ready to keep evolving, TARUS is just getting started.