Two Workers Buy Buffalo, N.Y., Family Machine Shop.

Byline: Matt Glynn

Dec. 2--John Wilder and Dale Formaniak knew all about Buerk Tool & Machine Corp. before they bought the business: Both of them had worked as machinists at the Buffalo company for years.

But as owners, they haven't retreated to a corner office to run the show. They're still working on the plant floor, which Wilder calls a competitive advantage.

"How many owners are out there in the shop putting out parts? Not many," he said. "That's our upper hand."

Three generations of the Buerk family led the 83-year-old business before Richard Buerk retired and sold it to the two employees. The deal was officially closed a couple of months ago, though Wilder and Formaniak started managing …