Curbell Machine Company was founded in 1942 as a small machine shop in the heart of Buffalo\'s industrial district. Originally the internal machine shop for a macaroni manufacturer, the company discovered a new niche when approached by a local aerospace company to fabricate aircraft components from a relatively unknown material called \"plastic.\" As the machine shop\'s expertise in plastic fabrication grew, other aerospace companies joined its client list, and soon the company became a separate entity, focusing exclusively on the custom fabrication of plastic components. The new company took the name \"Curbell\" from two of its major customers: Curtiss-Wright and Bell Aircraft.