HARTFORD – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Microboard Processing Inc. (MPI), a woman-owned manufacturer in Seymour, is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Craig Hoekenga founded MPI in Stratford, Connecticut, in 1983. In 1995, Craig moved the company to a 60,000 square foot facility in Silvermine Industrial Park in Stratford. Today, Craig’s three children, Nicole, Ashley and Craig II own the business, with daughter Nicole as President & CEO. MPI provides Electronic Manufacturing Services to customers, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, in the aerospace, medical, defense, telecom, and industrial industries. Some of MPI’s products include defibrillators, radar systems for helicopters, weapons elevators and GPS landing systems for aircraft carriers, periscope detection systems, and high speed telecom adapters.

In the last several years, MPI has successfully grown their revenue, expanded the size of their workforce, and purchased new equipment. In December 2015, MPI employed 89 full-time workers. Today, MPI employs 104 full-time workers and 16 part-time workers. MPI also recently invested approximately $8 million in new equipment and software to offer their clients the most advanced services. With the help of a grant through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Small Business Express Program, MPI installed new LED lighting, replaced the ceilings in their facility, renovated the building exterior, and purchased sophisticated 5D X-ray equipment.

MPI President & CEO, Nicole Russo, was selected as a 2015 Woman of Innovation by the Connecticut Technology Council.

“MPI is one of the many family-owned manufacturers in our state making it possible for large Connecticut companies, like Pratt & Whitney, Electric Boat, and Sikorsky, to deliver the highest quality products,” said Murphy. “Every day, MPI manufactures the critical parts that save lives and help make our military the most advanced and powerful in the world.”

“Without the innovative programs that the State of Connecticut has been able to offer MPI, we are quite sure we would have had to leave Connecticut. Recent developments with Sikorsky and Electric Boat should be a blessing to many companies such as ours here in Connecticut,” said MPI President & CEO, Nicole Russo.

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 21st Century Buy American Act and the American Jobs Matter Act. 

###