MIDDLEFIELD, CT — Ramar-Hall Inc., a precision machining and assembly company serving the aerospace and defense industries, plans to invest $5 million to expand its Middlefield manufacturing operation as the company marks its 70th anniversary.
The expansion will add 15,000 square feet of manufacturing space and increase production capacity as the company responds to growing demand from customers, including Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace.
Ramar-Hall said the project also is expected to support continued growth of its workforce, although the company did not specify how many new jobs will be created.
"This expansion represents the next chapter in that relationship," President Dave Ferraguto said of the company's seven decades of growth alongside Connecticut's aerospace industry. "Demand from our customers continues to grow, and this investment will give us the space, technology and workforce capacity to meet that demand."
The project is being supported by a $700,000 award through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development's Strategic Supply Chain Initiative. The program provides assistance to companies in critical industries such as aerospace and defense to expand capacity, adopt technology and meet increased customer demand.
DECD Deputy Commissioner and Chief Manufacturing Officer Kirti Patel said the investment demonstrates the importance of established manufacturers to Connecticut's aerospace supply chain.
"When long-established manufacturers expand their production capacity, it strengthens the entire supply chain and creates the kind of high quality jobs that fuel our economy," Patel said.
AdvanceCT provided guidance during the expansion process and worked with DECD and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology to coordinate support related to the company's facility, equipment and workforce needs.
Ramar-Hall manufactures precision components and assemblies used in aviation applications, including electronic engine controls, flight systems, gas turbine engines and rotary aircraft hardware.
Its customers include Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, Hamilton Sundstrand, GKN and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The Middlefield facility has CNC horizontal and vertical high-speed machining, five-axis machining and CNC turning capabilities. The company also offers rapid prototyping, quick-turn machining and assembly of complex aerospace components.
Specialized assembly work includes riveting, bonding, gasket installation and installation of aerospace fasteners and hardware.
AdvanceCT President and CEO John Bourdeaux said Ramar-Hall's expansion reflects the company's ability to adapt to changing technology and increasingly complex aerospace manufacturing requirements.
"For seven decades, the company has adapted to new technologies, increasingly complex customer requirements, and major changes across the aerospace industry," Bourdeaux said.
Ramar-Hall was founded in 1956 as the Ramar Tool Company in Middletown, where it initially manufactured tools and dies. The company purchased its first computer numerical control milling and turning machines in 1978 and moved to its current Middlefield location in 1980.
The company began machining and assembling electronic engine controls in 1987 and has continued expanding its facilities, technology and manufacturing capabilities.
The latest project is intended to allow Ramar-Hall to add equipment, expand production and hire additional employees while strengthening its role in Connecticut's aerospace supply chain.
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