BRISTOL – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that Arthur G. Russell Company Inc. (AGR) of Bristol is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Founded in 1945 and operating in a facility that spans nearly 83,000 square feet, AGR designs and manufactures customized high-speed, automatic assembly and packaging systems for automotive, medical device, consumer, and electronics industries. Their machines are used in the production of syringes, blood collection tubes, pen needles, and many other products. AGR has even manufactured a system that can produce up to 1,800 medical syringe needles per minute. With the help of over 120 employees, the Bristol manufacturer serves customers worldwide and right here in Connecticut, including Trumbull’s CooperSurgical Inc., as well as Becton Dickinson & Co., Covidien Ltd., and Smiths Medical, each of which operates facilities in Connecticut. 

Since 2014, AGR has acquired Bodine Automation Technology (which was formerly based in Bridgeport, Connecticut), hired 22 new employees, added 4,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space, and purchased six new pieces of equipment for their machining center. AGR is very involved in the Bristol community and takes pride in holding annual blood drives and in sponsoring various activities for the Boys and Girls Club of Bristol. Each year, AGR provides scholarships to two Bristol public high school graduates who plan to pursue Electrical & Control Systems or Mechanical Engineering. The manufacturer also sponsors Bristol High School’s robotics team, Team Operation Practicing Engineering and Competitive Cooperative Excellence (PEACCE). Under AGR’s mentorship, Operation PEACCE has won their first two competitions this year.  

“In 70 years, AGR has patented a whopping 19 inventions in automation and turned a homegrown business into a $24-million a year manufacturing company,” said Murphy. “They are a civic-minded company that has been a mainstay of Connecticut’s manufacturing industry and a constant employer to dozens of Connecticut families. I am proud to fight for policies in Washington every single day to support them.”

“We strive to earn recognition for the innovation and quality of our equipment, the integrity and talent of our employees and to be a positive influence on the community,” said Mark Burzynski, President of Arthur G. Russell. 

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.