Signicast LLC, a Hartford-based investment castings manufacturer, is planning a five-phase expansion project expected to add 500,000 square feet of space and 500 employees at its headquarters during the next 15 years.
The company currently has five connected facilities with a total of 435,000 square feet of space on a 38-acre site at 1800 Innovation Way in Hartford and a 98,000-square-foot facility in Brown Deer.
Signicast plans to expand to the north of its Hartford headquarters on a 50-acre site, said vice president of sales Todd McDonald. The company plans to build two new facilities initially, moving into the first one next year.
The company plans to add three additional facilities over the next 15 years, McDonald said. The total expansion project is expected to add 500,000 square feet of space in Hartford, at a total cost of about $150 million, he said.
About 500 additional employees are expected to be added during the 15 year expansion period, McDonald said. The company currently has 649 employees, including 530 in Hartford.
Signicast built its first Hartford facility in 1993 and has added a new facility every few years until the Great Recession delayed its latest expansion plans, McDonald said.
“You can either go off shore or invest in technology to lower costs and remain competitive,” McDonald said. “Most companies in our industry have gone off shore. We’ve chosen to invest in technology and expand here and it has been a significant success."
