NEW BRITAIN — B&F Machine Co., Inc. is this week’s U.S. Sen. Chris “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.”
The company was founded in 1972 by two brother-in-laws, Fred Bragoni and Carl Francalangia — veterans of the manufacturing industry — out of a small, shared facility on Saint Clair Street in the city. Today, 43 years later, the company is still family-owned and operated and is still located in New Britain and in Berlin on Edgewood Avenue.

But after experiencing years of continued growth, the company eventually moved to its current, much larger, 125,000 square-foot workspace that spans across four buildings. With the help of their more than 200 employees — 25 percent have been with the company for more than 25 years — B&F Machine is working to modernize and enhance its technologies and capabilities. The company even has plans to add a second 140,000 square-foot facility offering additional manufacturing space that could create an another 200 or more jobs for Connecticut’s skilled workforce.

Using state-of-the-art multiaxis computer numerical control equipment, B&F Machine provides precision machining, assembly and fabrication services to the aviation, nuclear, marine, power generation and commercial tooling industries. Their products range in type and size — from brackets that can fit in the palm of a hand, to giant rings of material measuring more than 12 feet in diameter. Many of its customers are internationally recognized companies such as Rolls Royce and Newport News Shipbuilding, and in fact, several of their customers — General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky and Electric Boat, just to name a few — are Connecticut manufacturing icons.

“For four decades, B&F Machine has been creating jobs in Connecticut,” said Murphy. “They take pride in the skills and abilities of their workforce, and have made it possible for so many of our state’s residents, businesses and manufacturers to thrive.” Murphy said the bottom line is “that as homegrown companies like B&F Machine continue to grow and succeed, so will Connecticut’s economy, and I’m thankful to the B&F Machine family for contributing so much to our state.” B&F’s General manager Mario Francalangia, said: “In this increasingly global economy, B&F Machine has been able to stay relevant in the industry by working as a team with our customers and our employees.

With more and more work going overseas, this team has been able to successfully continue to grow and help keep both manufacturing and jobs in our state.” Timothy Stewart, president, Greater New Britain and Berlin Chamber of Commerce, says Francalangia has been very successful. “He tells me he’s looking at some additional expansion opportunities because of the level of business he’s at. He’s in an ideal — a nice example of how diversification in manufacturing will allow you to grow.”