CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

6 February 2012

Events News

Concepts NREC Opens New Wilder Manufacturing Facility with a February 6 Open House

Concepts NREC (CN) announced the opening of its new 10,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and products facility. The formerly-Woburn, MA-based manufacturing business has relocated to its new home to CN Corporate Headquarters in Wilder. To celebrate the opening, there will be an Open House on February 6, 2012 starting at 1:30 pm with a ribbon cutting, followed by tours of the entire CN facility.

CN’s manufacturing unit supplies turbomachinery-specific production, inspection and testing services; and features multiple 5-axis CNC mills and turning centers capable of producing complex aerospace-quality prototypes, parts and assemblies. CN’s existing manual machining equipment was also moved into the new building. In addition, CN’s facility provides space for its VAROC® Air Brake-Dynamometer business consisting of assembly and test areas as well as inventory space for both machine shop and products. Dynamometers are used by military and commercial organizations throughout the world to facilitate the testing of high-speed turboshaft helicopter engines and other shaft-driven craft, without needing water or electric utilities.

The move required the coordination of heavy rigging and moving contractors, electricians, and several certified 5-axis technicians working in sync to move the manufactured parts business (machine shop) and dynamometer production business line in less than two weeks and be ready for full operation in three weeks. CN can continue to supply its many outside customers with precision machined parts and assemblies, and better support CN’s own engineering group with precision machined parts along with providing assembly space and equipment to support large project assemblies.

The move of the manufacturing business to Vermont has meant job growth for CN and Vermont. Hiring thus far has included several programmer/machinists, an advanced manufacturing engineer, a planner/expediter, and a product technician. Additional hiring is expected in several areas, including engineering, technicians, quality assurance, and materials man­agement, along with personnel relocating from Massachusetts to work in Vermont. And, of course, the construction of the new manufacturing facility itself has provided opportunities for Vermont businesses led by Neagley & Chase the lead construction company from South Burlington.

The state of Vermont was pivotal in providing support for the effort. Vermont provided a portion of the building financing using Vermont Economic Development Authority funds at a very low interest rate. The Merchant’s bank provided the remaining amount of funding. CN also took advantage of Vermont Employee Growth Incentive (VEGI) incentive funding provided by the state. And finally, the state is also providing offsetting training funds for the new employees.

CN, as part of the effort to relocate its Boston office once the manufacturing unit moved to Vermont, moved its remaining Massachusetts staff to a new office in Chelmsford, MA. Staff in Chelmsford includes those working in computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software development, project management, sales and marketing, products, and IT. The company also continues to have staff, as well as sales and technology partners, spread throughout the U.S. and the world, including CN offices in the U.K. and India.

CN, founded in 1980 by Dr. David Japikse, provides complete solution development from concept through detailed engineering, product design, performance testing, prototype manufacturing and product manufacturing. To complement its engineering services group, manufacturing and products, the company has developed, uses, and sells comprehensive turbomachinery design/analysis software. CN’s Agile Engineering Design System suite of CAE/CAM Software is the only commercially available design and analysis software that encompasses and integrates the entire engineering process for radial, axial and mixed-flow turbomachinery components. In addition, CN also offers educational courses, publications and consulting services throughout the world. The company employs nearly 100 people.

CN is located off Route 5 at 217 Billings Farm Road, Wilder, VT, 05088 (Telephone: 802-296-2321. Fax: 802-296-2325). The Boston Office is located at 285 Billerica Road, Suite 102, Chelmsford, MA 01824-4174 (Tel: 781-935-9050. Fax: 781-935-9052).

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