NAUGATUCK, CT — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced in a news release that Palco Connector, Inc. of Naugatuck is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.”

Founded in Connecticut in 1978, Palco Connector manufactures radio frequency and microwave connectors and cables, as well as audio, data, and battery connectors for the military and commercial markets. The Naugatuck manufacturer employs 42 Connecticut residents out of their 25,000 square foot manufacturing facility.

The Naugatuck company serves a long list of renowned customers including General Dynamics, Hitachi, Boeing, BAE Systems, Philips, General Electric, and Raytheon Systems, and is committed to working with suppliers located in Connecticut.

A number of Palco Connector’s commercial products are used in MRI diagnostic machines at hospitals worldwide. The manufacturer also proudly serves the United States military with connectors used in various ground, shipboard and airborne applications. Palco Connector’s handheld tactical radios are used by all divisions of U.S. ground-based troops.

Murphy said in a statement, “With such an impressive list of customers, Palco Connector is proving just how valuable Connecticut’s manufacturing companies are to our national security and to the world market. As homegrown companies like Palco Connector continue to grow and succeed, so will Connecticut’s economy.”

John Slesinski, General Manager of Palco Connector, Inc., said in a statement, “Manufacturing in Connecticut means having an available and dependable workforce interested in learning and expanding their knowledge and skills. It means the convenience and value of local supply partners within the state who are among the most qualified in the nation to meet our requirements and contribute to our product and customer service goals.”

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating our state’s economic recovery.

Today, Connecticut’s 4,602 manufacturers account for 10.2% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the 21st Century Buy American Act and the American Jobs Matter Act.