The Lee Company announced the opening of a new 27,500-square-foot Innovation Center intended to support product development.
The facility provides space for engineering teams to evaluate new applications, develop prototypes and respond to changing customer requirements across key markets.
“Today, we aren’t just opening the doors to a new building – we are officially launching the next chapter of a story that began over 75 years ago at my grandfather’s kitchen table,” said Marietta S. Lee, president and chief executive officer. “The Innovation Center is a direct descendant of his curious spirit, giving us the tools and freedom to pursue bold ideas that matter to our customers.”
The Innovation Center is intended to support engineering development in an open workspace with integrated labs for prototyping and testing. It includes a machine shop for rapid precision fabrication and high-resolution additive manufacturing, with additional lab infrastructure planned for testing, automation and system-level experimentation.
“This facility is a world-class engineering playground that allows us to simulate real customer environments in-house and develop a deeper understanding of the problems they’re trying to solve,” said Thomas Frosell, vice president of innovation. “We have the tools, the team and the environment needed for success – enabling us to move faster, accelerate our learning and design solutions that are aligned with where our customers are headed.”
The building was designed to support these goals, with a light-filled layout intended to support collaboration and innovation. “We Lees, we’re all dreamers,” said William W. Lee, chairman of the board of directors. “This building reflects that vision, helping to fuel the next generation of growth and progress our parts into the future.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony held on March 3 brought together company leadership, employees, local government representatives, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, project partners and media to mark the opening of the facility.
The Lee Company
www.theleeco.com
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