NEWINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that GKN Aerospace Engine Systems of Newington, Manchester, and Cromwell is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” GKN Aerospace Engine Systems is an international manufacturer of engine components, rotor blade components, airframe components, turbine blades, and other aerospace parts for both commercial and military aircraft. They operate out of 14 facilities located in Sweden, Norway, Mexico, and the United States, and serve customers including Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation, and Rolls-Royce. GKN Aerospace Engine Systems is part of the larger, multi-billion dollar company, GKN Aerospace, which employs approximately 17,000 people in more than 61 locations across three continents.
At their Newington, Manchester, and Cromwell, Connecticut facilities, GKN Aerospace Engine Systems employs more than 200 individuals, and is expanding rapidly. The company is actively looking to hire new machinists, engineers, and interns at their Newington campus, which spans 3 buildings and 150,000 square feet of work space. Since 2004, the GKN Aerospace Engine Systems Newington campus has hired over 100 new employees and increased their annual sales by about $88.5 million. The company also partners with 5 local Connecticut universities, including Central Connecticut State University, Goodwin College, and the University of Connecticut, to cultivate talent and help students launch careers in Connecticut’s manufacturing industry. As GKN Aerospace Engine Systems continues to bring on new employees and new machinery, they expect to continue growing exponentially.
“Worldwide companies like GKN Aerospace choose to operate out of Connecticut for good reason – we have the most skilled workers in the industry and one of the largest networks of suppliers in the nation,” said Murphy. “With good-paying wages, high-tech machinery, and a fast-paced working environment, GKN Aerospace Engine Systems is at the center of growing Connecticut’s manufacturing base."
“GKN Aerospace Engine Systems is proud to be a part of Connecticut’s manufacturing heritage” stated Martin Thorden, General Manager of GKN Engine Systems New England. “We are in the Silicon Valley of aerospace with our Connecticut footprint thus giving us a competitive logistics advantage by having the majority of our supply chain in such close proximity”.
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.
