News

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, the builder of the world’s finest military fighter, transport and surveillance aircraft and commercial transport aircraft, relies heavily on its supply base to provide the key and critical components we need to meet our customer’s needs. SAF Industries is one of those companies we depend on.

In 2012, SAF Industries has successfully delivered their product to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company 100% on time and with zero quality defects. This doesn’t happen without a workforce dedicated to the highest standards of performance.

Lockheed Martin wishes recognize and thank SAF Industries and its employees for their attention to detail and commitment to their customer needs in 2012.

Contact Us to Schedule a Meeting

On Meeting with customers at the NBAA in Orlando, Florida this week, CEO Steven Fournier had this to say: “Positive momentum in short term sales, with strong activity on new platforms.”

Gar Kenyon Aerospace and Defense was featured on a recent episode of Business Update:Aerospace & Defense on The Discovery Channel

February 13, 2012 - Naugatuck, Connecticut 

Chairman & CEO Steven Fournier has transformed Gar Kenyon Aerospace & Defense into an efficient, lean manufacturer of aerospace hydraulic & pneumatic components. With more than 60 years of experience, Gar Kenyon has weathered the recent tough economic storm and come out stronger than ever before.

About Business Update: Aerospace & Defense

Whether by land, air or sea, this special edition series is dedicated to highlighting the organizations and technologies protecting our country. Topics include: Aircraft, Avionics, Simulation, Defense, UAV, Technology and much more. For more information visit: www.dmgproductions.org or call (866) 496-4065.

The Salvation Army Angel Tree Logo

This holiday season Gar Kenyon offered its employees the opportunity to share with those children who are less fortunate in the Greater Waterbury Area by picking an Angel from our company Christmas tree.

All 20 Angels were taken and it turned out to be a great example of our employee’s willingness to make this holiday special for a child. The executive staff was completely moved by those who participated and appreciate the wonderful acts of kindness they created.

We thank The Salvation Army for serving as our conduit for this expression of care through the Angel Tree Program.

Gar Kenyon’s 2011 Angel Tree

November 10, 2011

Gar Kenyon Has Acquired Pneumatic Business,

General Pneumatics Corporation of New Jersey

New Acquisition Reflects Sustainable Growth for the CT Company

Gar Kenyon reveals continued growth pattern in design and manufacture of aviation equipment by expanding pneumatic product line with acquisition of pneumatic valve manufacturer from New Jersey. Gar Kenyon has over a 60-year history as a leader in the design, manufacture and overhaul of reliable precision engineered hydraulic and pneumatic aircraft components.

Naugatuck, CT, November 9, 2011 – It was announced today that Gar Kenyon  has acquired General Pneumatics Corporation, a New Jersey based design and manufacturing company in pneumatic control valves and pressure regulators. The move to merge the additional product lines into the Gar Kenyon existing pneumatics offerings gives Gar Kenyon additional service and product strength in the ever-changing aerospace industry.

“This acquisition makes tremendous sense for us,” shares Gar Kenyon CEO and President Steven Fournier. “We are on a steady course to bring world class technology and innovation under one umbrella, and adding GPC’s engineering, design and manufacturing history is exactly the type of expansion we need to grow our core business model.”

The global aerospace industry contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the world economy. Players in the global aerospace industry include Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Honeywell, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and the Department of Defense, among others. These players are the companies that Gar Kenyon does business with, and will continue to expand offerings with their newly acquired company General Pneumatics.

General Pneumatics is a small, privately-held company with established world-wide recognition for its patented custom design and manufacturing of hydraulic and pneumatic valves, pressure regulators, aspirators and inflation control systems, over several decades. These components are supplied to aircraft manufacturers and airlines globally.

With the addition of these new product lines to Gar Kenyon’s expanding design and manufacturing lines, inflatable safety and survival products for the aviation, marine and military markets, Gar Kenyon will continue supplying to the same “Who’s Who” with engineering operations excellence.

Gar Kenyon Aerospace and Defense is celebrating its 60^th year as a recognized leader in the design, fabrication, assembly and testing of advanced, high-quality, hydro-mechanical, electromechanical and mechanical components and assemblies for aerospace. The combination of technical excellence, responsiveness and innovation makes Gar Kenyon the industry’s source for hydraulic and pneumatic aerospace components.

2011 October – Las Vegas, NV

Key executives from Gar Kenyon Aerospace & Defense joined the more than 26,077 attendees at the National Business Aviation Association’s 64th Annual Meeting & Convention held in Las Vegas on October 10-13.  Representing Gar Kenyon were President & CEO, Steve Fournier,  VP/GM, Khoi Vu and Director Business Development & Operations, Jonathan Fournier.  The group had a chance to visit with key customers and develop new relationships with potential customers who are interested in Gar Kenyon’s extensive offering of hydraulic & pneumatic components. The event was a great success and allowed some great interaction with customer products.

Steve & Jonathan Fournier check out a Piper Malibu Matrix @ NBAA

Khoi & Steve in front of Piper static display

Gar Kenyon Chairman & CEO Steven Fournier

Employees at Gar Kenyon were recently provided an update on year-to-date performance at a Second Quarter Review as part of a series of regularly scheduled all hands meetings. During the session Steven Fournier, President & CEO reported current year customer bookings growth of over 26% through the second quarter of 2011.  “We’re seeing a significant increase in RFQ’s for new programs and expect 2011 to be a record year for overall bookings here at Gar Kenyon”  claimed Fournier.

Khoi Vu, VP/GM also presented an overview of critical company metrics and performance which concluded with some employee recognition and a luncheon reception.

On July 19^th, State Representatives David K. Labriola and Rosa C. Rebimbas visited Gar Kenyon Aerospace and Defense to experience a small, yet thriving manufacturing business in action. After a very informative tour and overview of the company, led by Steve and Jon Fournier, the state reps. met with the employees for a question and answer session.

The State Reps. discussed how Connecticut is investing in manufacturing education, and how it is trying to keep small manufacturing businesses in the state, given the economic climate and the new state tax policies. Rebimbas and Labriola urged employees to be heard through their local governments, and relayed how inspired they were that the company has been able to remain so successful in today’s economy.

Previously that day Labriola and Rebimbas had visited another small manufacturing company in Naugatuck much like Gar Kenyon, “Seeing how these two companies remain at the forefront of their industry is inspiring,” Rebimbas said,” Connecticut has a long way to go to be a competitive business state, but these companies show it’s possible to succeed with dedication, sacrifice and drive. Their commitment to their employees and Naugatuck is admirable.”

Rebimbas and Labriola ended the visit at Gar Kenyon with a luncheon with the senior management team of the company to discuss ways the state government can minimize constraints within the manufacturing industry and how it can try to protect smaller manufacturing businesses in the future.

Gar Kenyon Unveils New Design of Website to Reflect Both Their Business Expansion and the Growth and Stability of the Aviation Industry

Gar Kenyon unveils a new look and design of their website that closely reflects their business growth in design and manufacture of aviation equipment. Gar Kenyon has over a 60-year history as a leader in the design, manufacture, and overhaul of reliable precision engineered hydraulic and pneumatic aircraft components.

Naugatuck, CT April 30, 2011 – “Being an entrepreneur means taking risks, and this one is paying off,” relates Steven Fournier, who acquired Gar Kenyon in 2003. The company had gone through many transitions since its formation in 1950, specializing in the design and manufacture of hydraulic and pneumatic components for use in military aircraft.

The company’s expansion and success is well captured in their newly redesigned website.  The site now reflects their expansion with increasing design and manufacturing capabilities in the aviation industry. Their site also shows what a manufacturing firm needs to do in today’s narrow field of new weapon systems, a global economy in transition, and an ever changing challenge of new and advanced science and technology.

“We have made a commitment to engineering operations excellence as well as bringing the right people on board. We now have people in place with the ability and imagination to provide solutions to our customers’ problems. This is where we add the most value.”

Gar Kenyon parts can be found in over 100 military/commercial aircraft ranging from the Cessna Citation to the F-16. With their commitment to service, added to their expertise and wide range of proven designs, they continue supplying to the “Who’s Who” of aviation from the general aviation aircraft market like Cessna, Bombardier/Learjet and more, to replacement components to the U.S. Military to be used on fighter and transport aircraft. To ensure the highest quality and delivery standards, Gar Kenyon manufactures over 75% of its products at their 44,000 square foot facility.

Today, Gar Kenyon is on a course to become a world-class design house. The company has gone through significant and sustainable growth phases since Fournier took the helm, and he believes the company can double its revenue and increase its work force by at least 50 percent over the next five years.

Read about Gar Kenyon on the CONNSTEP

web site by clicking on the link below:

http://www.connstep.com/page/221-gar-kenyon

In January 2010 Gar Kenyon was the proud recipient of the distinguished “Manufacturer Of The Year” award from the Waterbury Regional Chamber. This was the ultimate acknowledgment that the company had evolved since the acquisition in 2003 by Steve Fournier.  His continued investment in equipment, training and people has helped provide valuable job opportunities and created an increased awareness of the company.

The Harold Webster Smith Awards were established by the Chamber’s Small Business Council to recognize companies which have shown achievement and excellence in small business.

The Chamber hosts this program to honor the legacy of Harold Webster Smith, founder of Webster Bank, who supported, and helped nurture, small business development within the Greater Waterbury Region.

Nominations are accepted each fall, and the winners are honored at a breakfast each January.

Our company has prided itself on being passionate about energy efficiency and being conservation oriented. This is exhibited in a multitude of energy saving initiatives throughout our facility in Naugatuck.   On an almost daily basis we transport our manufactured parts to various local outside vendors for special processing. Up to this point we have used an older vehicle that was beyond it’s years of service and was costing us more and more to operate. In our spirit of efficiency and cost savings the company recently acquired a Nissan Cube that will be utilized for these outside processing pickups and drop-offs.  We estimate that we have immediately reduced our fuel consumption by 75% in addition to reducing outside emissions into the environment. The vehicle has been graphically enhanced to feature the new Gar Kenyon logo and will serve as a traveling billboard for the company.

Gar Kenyon has made investments in new CNC equipment and tooling to increase productivity and capacity. Also, Gar Kenyon manufacturing engineers optimize productivity by utilizing Mastercam X computer aided manufacture (CAM) software to leverage existing design data in the manufacturing process.

Gar-Kenyon’s experienced machinists and assembly/test professionals continue to be one of its greatest assets. Additionally, Gar-Kenyon has made investments in facilities, equipment and software to support its commitment to provide exceptional service at a competitive cost.

With state-of-the art Machine capability together with a highly skilled team and a solid quality system (AS-9100:2004 and ISO9001:200 Certified), Gar Kenyon can provide solutions to meet customer’s most demanding requirements.

Gar Kenyon has focused on lean manufacturing throughout the company.  Optimal set up reduction for our CNC operations have been conducted and sustained to provide customers with improved delivery time.   For scheduling we are using machine loading Kaizen.  6S Kaizen in inspection.  We have extensive kitting of tooling in machine shop and secondary.  We utilize value stream mapping and we have more scheduled throughout 2011.