HARTFORD – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Monday that Phoenix Manufacturing Inc., a certified woman-owned small business in Enfield, is this week’s “Murphy’s Monday Manufacturer.” Phoenix manufactures precision machined components, such as gearbox housings, diffusers, heat sinks, and bracket mounts, for the medical, automotive, and military and commercial aerospace sectors. The manufacturing business was founded in 1989 out of a 2,000 square foot facility. Today, Phoenix employs 63 hardworking Connecticut residents – who receive competitive wages and benefits, profit-sharing bonuses, and other monthly perks – out of a 25,000 square foot facility in Enfield. Phoenix is certified under International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations, and exports products to customers around the world. The Enfield manufacturer serves a long list of customers, including United Technologies Aerospace Systems (UTAS), Parker Aerospace, and General Dynamics, and is proud to have participated in programs such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, several Black Hawk series, the Airbus A321, and the Boeing 737 MAX.

 

Krystyna Paluch took over as CEO of Phoenix Manufacturing after the death of her husband, who co-founded and owned the manufacturing business. Today, Krystyna runs the company with her talented staff, which includes her two grown children. In the last several years, Krystna has purchased approximately $5 million worth of new machinery and equipment, invested heavily in her employees, and has grown the company’s annual revenues by over 150%. Phoenix recently won a contract that will enable the company to hire 10 new employees over the next year and invest an additional $3.5 million in new capital equipment.

 

Phoenix works closely with local technical high schools, community colleges, and other training programs – such as Capital Workforce Partners, Manchester Community College, Asnuntuck Community College, CT Tooling and Machining Association, and Advanced Manufacturing Employers Partnership – to offer internships and apprenticeships to students. To date, Phoenix has hired nine of their interns and apprentices as permanent employees. Phoenix also supports many local charities and nonprofits, including the CT Science Center, the Explorations in Science Program at CREC Greater Hartford Academy, Enfield Little League, and Little Sisters of the Poor.  Phoenix also donates turkeys to Enfield Loaves and Fishes around Thanksgiving each year. 

 

“Phoenix is growing their business by making smart investments in Connecticut’s workers, manufacturing industry, and students, and that’s good news all around,” said Murphy. “I can’t wait to see Krystna and her family continue to expand Phoenix - I’ll be behind them every step of the way.”

 

Krystyna Paluch, President & CEO of Phoenix Manufacturing, said, “We at Phoenix Manufacturing are proud to work in a state with such a rich manufacturing history. However, the reality is that we face a host of challenges starting with global competition on every contract to finding qualified, local personnel. The only way we can stay competitive and ahead of the curve is to constantly re-invest in our staff,  innovation, and lean manufacturing to maximize efficiency. At the same time, we are grateful for the state and federal programs that aid manufacturers and help train our future workforce.”

 

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating our state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,602 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