EMINENCE, Mo. – Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) visited Charles Tool Company in Shannon County this week, where he met with founder Bill Charles and toured the shop to discuss the company’s manufacturing work and the impact of the Working Families Tax Cuts on small manufacturers.

Congressman Smith said, “Charles Tool Company is a great example of what small manufacturers in rural Missouri can accomplish. Bill Charles built this company from the ground up, and his team right here in Shannon County makes components for the aerospace, automotive, and heavy machinery industries across the United States. Provisions like Section 199A and 100 percent bonus depreciation, both of which the Working Families Tax Cuts made permanent, have made a real difference for businesses like Charles Tool Company, and I’ll keep fighting for policies that help them grow and succeed.”

Bill Charles founded Charles Tool Company in Illinois in 1987 and relocated the business to Eminence in 1998, drawn to Shannon County to be closer to the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers. The company specializes in hot-forming components for the aerospace, automotive, and heavy machinery industries. All Charles Tool Company employees were trained on the job, with some having been at the company for more than a decade.

As a small business organized as an LLC, manufacturers like Charles Tool Company benefit directly from Section 199A, which allows small business owners to deduct 20 percent of their eligible pass-through business income. They also benefit from 100 percent bonus depreciation, which lets companies immediately deduct the cost of new machinery and equipment. The Working Families Tax Cuts, which Congressman Smith authored, permanently extended both provisions, giving small manufacturers like Charles Tool Company long-term certainty to invest and grow.