HARTFORD – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Acme Wire Products Co., Inc. of Mystic is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” After learning precision fabrication techniques as an employee at a Connecticut manufacturing firm, Edward J. Planeta founded Acme Wire Products in Norwich, Connecticut in 1970. Today, three of Edward’s seven children run the manufacturing business out of a 75,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Mystic, where they have been located since 1979. The family-owned business specializes in the manufacture of wire and metal products, including CNC (Computer Numerical Control) wire forms, handles, levers, frames, baskets, trays, machine and fan guards, carts, sporting goods, and much more. Acme Wire currently employs 48 workers, and received a Connecticut Family Business Award from the Hartford Business Journal in 2017.
Acme is actively involved in their community, working with local charities – including The Riverfront Children’s Center, Salvation Army, the Ocean Community YMCA, and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center – to provide food, shelter, childcare and literacy support to Connecticut residents. Since 1998, they have made annual donations of sports equipment to schools in New London county and Westerly, Rhode Island. Acme Wire also recently donated manufacturing equipment to Three Rivers Community College to jumpstart the school’s Metal Fabrication Program, and participates in many events at the middle school, high school and community college levels where Acme Wire staff meet with students to inform them about careers in manufacturing. The company also provides facility tours and workshops for local technical students.
“Acme represents some of the best in Connecticut manufacturing: they produce quality materials and consistently give back to families and students in their community,” said Murphy. “The Planeta family is an important part of our state’s manufacturing history, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of their work.”
Mary Fitzgerald, President of Acme Wire Products, said, “Connecticut has a wonderful quality of life and Acme Wire Products works hard to remain competitive to manufacture in the state by investing in talent and technology. About one third of our sales are to other Connecticut manufacturers and we support many other companies in the region through our work with subcontractors, vendors and manufacturing collaborations. The foundation of our company is our talented staff and leveraging the innovative spirit of the Connecticut workforce.”
The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating our state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,600 manufacturers account for 10% 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 BuyAmerican.gov Act and the American Jobs Matter Act.
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