Date: Fri 10-Oct-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

business-Sonics-and-Materials

Full Text:

Danbury Tech Firm Starts Work On New HQ On Church Hill Road

(with photo)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Sonics and Materials, Inc, a Danbury technology firm, conducted

"groundbreaking" ceremonies Monday morning for its new international

headquarters on Church Hill Road.

The firm's management and its employees, plus town and state officials

gathered at the company's plant at 55-A Church Hill Road. The

65,000-square-foot brick building was formerly occupied by Churchill Business

Forms.

Sonics will be renovating the building's interior to make it suitable for its

manufacturing operations. Parking facilities at the 17.2-acre site will be

expanded. The company plans to consolidate the operations from its four

Danbury facilities at the 55-A Church Hill Road building, said Robert S.

Soloff, Sonics' president and chief executive officer. The building is

expected to open next May.

The company will improve its efficiency when it's doing business under one

roof instead of four roofs in Danbury, Mr Soloff said. The Church Hill Road

address will have access to recently installed sanitary sewers.

Besides its local operations, Sonics has facilities in Illinois, Ohio,

Pennsylvania and Switzerland.

Acquiring the Newtown building follows Sonics' search for a new headquarters

in the Danbury area, Mr Soloff said. By staying in the Danbury area, the firm

will retain its skilled workforce.

Sonics wasn't able to find the right property for consolidating its operations

in Danbury itself, Mr Soloff said.

The firm hopes to expand and considers the Church Hill Road location a good

place to do so, he said.

As Mr Soloff spoke, heavy construction equipment whirred and whined while

removing trees and brush from the area for site improvements.

First Selectman Robert Cascella said Sonics' relocating to Newtown is both

good for the town and the company. "This is a very, very good day for all of

us," he said. Mr Cascella thanked Borough Zoning Official Jean St Jean and

Economic Development Director Elizabeth Stocker for their help in bringing

Sonics here.

The state government has aided Sonics with financing for the relocation

project.

Sonics plans to transfer its approximately 100 employees from its Danbury

facilities to the Church Hill Road building, which is about twice as large as

the firm's four Danbury sites combined.

Sonics manufactures high-intensity ultrasonic plastics assembly equipment. The

equipment it makes is used in the manufacture of medical and automotive

products, textiles, housewares, packaging, appliances and toys.

The company builds thermoplastic assembly and equipment systems involving

ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, spin welding, and hot plate welding.

The firm produces ultrasonic liquid processing gear with vibra-cell action and

ultrasonic atomization. It also builds a vibra-surge ultrasonic surgical

device.

The Conservation Commission recently approved Sonics' plans to refurbish an

existing parking lot, build a truck access at the rear of the building, and

provide additional parking. The work will involve alterations to approximately

2,900 square feet of wetland areas.

Also, the town has gained Conservation Commission approval to build a paved

driveway within its easement or passway at 55-A Church Hill Road. That work is

planned for a 1.07-acre site. The town's 24-foot-wide paved driveway will lead

from Church Hill Road toward the industrial building. The town will use the

driveway for improved access to its teen center. Sonics will extend the

driveway from the southern edge of its property line to its building.

The firm has borough zoning approvals for its project.