Date: Tue 20-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Newtown-Manufacturing-50-years

Full Text:

50 YEARS OF PRECISION MANUFACTURING IN NEWTOWN

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

Fifty years ago, two German-trained toolmakers acted on the vision of

operating their own business. Edwin Weber and Hans Pietsch, both of Sandy

Hook, bought a blacksmith shop/barn on South Main Street and converted it to a

manufacturing plant for tools and precision machine parts for the electronics

industry and, thus, Newtown Manufacturing Company was established.

Although the building, machinery, and customers have changed during the the

ensuing five decades, the business is still operated by family members who

maintain a philosophy of "old fashioned quality, reliability and dependability

with modern efficiency." The business has offered precision screw machine

products since 1946.

"Many things are totally different. But the nature of the business is

extremely competitive and that hasn't changed," said William Watts, who joined

the business in 1960 as vice president and officer manager. His

brother-in-law, Edwin Weber, Jr, is president and plant manager of the

company. "It seemed complicated enough back then, but now [the business] has

gotten ten times as complicated."

Contrary to common belief, screw machines do not generally produce screws

except for special applications. The parts produced on these machines are of a

much more complex nature than common screws. Required accuracy on screw

machine products are stringent - one ten thousanths of an inch, the equivalent

of 1/20th the thickness of human hair, according to the owners.

Pieces machined by the company range in size from .020 inch to 1« inches

diameter and are made of alloy steels, stainless steels, berylium, copper,

copper alloys, brass, aluminum, and machinable plastics. Secondary operations

at Newtown Manufacturing include CNC turning, threading, milling, drilling,

and centerless grinding. The end-products made from these parts are used in

aerospace, medical, precision instruments, RF connectors, life support

systems, and hydraulic and pneumatic components.

"We don't have a standard product as such," said Mr Weber. "We manufacture

parts to our customers' specifications."

Changing With Industry Needs

In 1958, the owners razed the original wooden structure and built a 6,700 sq

ft, fireproof plant. Two years later, the second generation began running the

company.

Seventy percent of the business was tied to the electronics industry until

1967, when the owners decided to make the company less vulnerable to downturns

in any one industry. They sought contracts ranging in diversity from aerospace

industry to the toy industry. In 1976, Newtown Manufacturing expanded its

plant by 6,400 sq feet.

The recession in the early 1980s resulted in decreased orders and a reduced

work force. Business picked up again to include a peak employment of 48. More

than half of the business became tied to end-products for the military, which

unexpectedly dropped to 20 percent in the early 1990s.

"The military cutbacks really hurt us because we were so heavily involved in

that area," said Evelyn Weber Watts, who is now in charge of health and

safety, human resources, marketing, insurance, pension plan, environmental

adherence, and other areas. "We didn't lay-off, we just didn't replace people

when they left. It was our cash reserves that enabled us to keep going... We

have changed our advertising and marketing approach and have diversified. In

the end, it has made us stronger because we're not relying on one industry."

Newtown Manufacturing now employs 27 people and its major equipment is

comprised of nine computer pneumatically controlled machines and 13

conventional machines. New customers include Pitney Bowes, United States

Postal Service, Ceramaseal, and a Monroe company that makes instant hot water

heaters.

"The best way to describe the changes we've seen is that we've found customers

expect us to be much more a partner within their operation - to assume much

more responsibility for the quality of the product we produce," said Edwin

Weber, Jr. "They expect delivery performance, and often want help with the

design of the product so that it is easier to manufacture and deliver."

The complexity of the Swiss and Swiss-type automatic equipment has grown. This

has allowed an increase in production capabilities, but as business begins to

expand again, it is more of a challenge to find machine operators trained in

the new technology.

"Our future will probably be limited to finding and retaining high caliber

people we need. The business opportunities are there," said Mr Weber. "We've

been blessed with probably the finest crew I've seen."

The business owners are planning two tours, and an internal anniversary

celebration for employees, family members, and local customers.

"A family business is like having a child - the commitment and the feelings

and affections," said Mrs Watts, who has worked her entire life at the

company.