MERIDEN – Today, in celebration of Veterans Small Business Week and in advance of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that Specialty Metal Fabrications, Inc. (SMF) will be recognized as “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer”. Owners Ronald J. Dziema – who served in the U.S. Navy Seabees during the Vietnam War, and was wounded during the first of his two tours - and the late Edward C. Gura founded SMF in 1981. Today, the manufacturing company is officially certified as a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business by the Veterans Administration.


Based out of Meriden, SMF operates out of a 30,000 square foot facility where 30 of Connecticut’s hardworking residents design and manufacture precision metal products for the telecommunications, electrical, electronic, fabrication, machine tool, and marine industries. Their products, which include brackets, machine guards, and electronic enclosures, range in size and intricacy, and are shipped to clients both domestically and internationally. In 2013, SMF expanded their line of business and established a new division, called SMF Marine, where they specialize in blue water sport fishing products.


SMF is one of less than 10,000 certified and approved Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses across the nation, and is therefore eligible to receive contracts with federal agencies. The manufacturer prides itself on their certified designation, and is excited about the opportunities that their designation presents.


“Ron put his life on the line for our country when he fought in Vietnam, and he continues to serve our nation as a job creator and manufacturer in Connecticut,” said Murphy. “Over the past 33 years, Ron’s business expertise has created opportunities for Connecticut residents, and has enabled companies around the world to improve their own businesses. Connecticut is lucky to be the home of SMF and its distinguished leader, and I am so grateful for everything Ron has done to protect and defend our country.”


“I am thankful for the knowledge from Connecticut’s Wilcox Vocational and Technical school which gave me a strong base to serve my country and inspired me to become a metal craftsman,” said Ron Dziema, owner of SMF. “My service in the Seabees taught me the “Can Do” attitude which I strengthened through higher education at the University of Hartford and the University of New Haven. I am ever grateful to the United States military, the state of Connecticut, my employees, our customers and my family for assisting me in fulfilling my dreams of owning and operating a successful business in my home state. My home, my business and my heart reside in the great state of Connecticut.”


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.