The future is now
- jfitts0
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
TRUMPF celebrates opening of its new ‘smart factory’
Mark Jahne
Contributing Editor
Computer-controlled machinery, robotics and other state-of-the art manufacturing equipment and processes were the focus of a celebration at the TRUMPF industrial complex in Farmington.
The May 20 event that attracted politicians, other dignitaries, numerous TRUMPF customers and others included the announcement of new initiatives to increase local manufacturing, expand the company’s training facility and grow its apprenticeship program.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Gov. Ned Lamont; Daniel O’Keefe, commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development; Jean P. Froehly, minister and head of economic and financial affairs at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C.; and Dr. Sonja Kreibich, consul general of the German Foreign Ministry’s consulate in Boston.
Farmington is the headquarters of the German company’s North American subsidiary, TRUMPF, Inc., a $1 billion wholly owned subsidiary of the TRUMPF Group. Its other North American facilities are in Illinois, California, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington, as well as various sites in Canada and Mexico.
The new smart factory uses high-tech fabricating equipment to produce sheet metal parts for its U.S.-manufactured TRUMPF machinery. Manufacturers can visit the facility to investigate applications of the automation, connectivity and data-driven production.
“The new facility is a clear reflection of our commitment to our U.S. customers and our deep appreciation for their business,” said Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, CEO and owner of the TRUMPF Group.
“I am pleased to see this $40 million investment in Connecticut come to fruition, but this is just the beginning. TRUMPF will continue to stand for such dedication to innovation, technology and growth in North America in the years to come.”
“Now is the time for manufacturers to elevate their production methods and further develop their workforce. The smart factory reaffirms our partnerships with manufacturers to meet their growing needs to streamline and accelerate production while enhancing process adaptability and product quality,” TRUMPF, Inc., President & CEO Lutz Labisch said.
“The Farmington smart factory provides a blueprint that enables manufacturers to ‘reshore’ production and remain cost competitive while adapting to changing needs, overcoming skilled labor shortages and meeting strict safety standards,” Burke Doar said. He is the executive vice president for TRUMPF, Inc.
The new smart factory increases by a multiple of four the production capacity of key components compared to traditional manufacturing processes. Thirteen material flow stations are integrated throughout the system.
There is also a green element to this new facility because 97 percent of the powder used in the coating process is recycled and used again. Three major new initiatives are scheduled take place over the next 12 months.
Further expanding local manufacturing in Connecticut, TRUMPF is adding a new press brake production line starting in the summer of 2026. This will increase and round out the plant’s production output to cover all its major sheet metal fabrication product lines and is expected to create additional jobs.
TRUMPF will expand its training center by incorporating the latest equipment, automated systems and real-world setups to train the next generation of technicians and operators. This will add training capabilities and increase capacity beyond its current nationwide draw of 4,000 students annually.
A new apprenticeship consortium, founded by TRUMPF, includes several other Connecticut manufacturers and is supported by AdvanceCT and the German American Chamber of Commerce. The consortium leverages TRUMPF’s apprenticeship and training programs and widens access to its high-tech equipment, software and personnel to raise the workforce’s advanced manufacturing skill levels.
Partners in this consortium include the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and four community colleges. Gov. Ned Lamont praised the new smart factory as the most advanced of its kind.
“This cutting-edge facility is ushering in the next generation of manufacturing. TRUMPF’s investments in local manufacturing and skilled worker training are forward-thinking efforts that bolster the reputation of Connecticut and TRUMPF as a leader in innovation and technology while strengthening the ability of our manufacturing industry to compete globally,” Lamont said.
“I am pleased to announce that the state is providing $2.5 million in financial assistance to support the company’s growth and that TRUMPF is the first recipient of funding under our Strategic Supply Chain Initiative,” he added.
Lamont told the audience that the state awarded $2.5 million to TRUMPF, Inc., as part of this new supply chain initiative to enhance its production capacity and bring manufacturing operations from outside the United States to Connecticut.
“We are investing in projects and companies that will strengthen the economic foundations essential for our long-term prosperity,” Commissioner O’Keefe said.
He added that TRUMPF, Inc., was also approved to benefit from the JobsCT program. The. company can earn as much as $373,000 in tax rebates if it creates 63 new full-time equivalent jobs in the coming years.
The smart factory adds 55,800 square feet of production space to cut, bend and weld thousands of different parts for its state-of-the art machines that are used by manufacturers to make metal components for automobiles, aircraft, agricultural machinery, data center cabinets, fitness equipment and a wide variety of other products.
This is all part of an ongoing “local-for-local” strategy for production in Connecticut where the company has operated since 1974. TRUMPF produces all its sheet metal laser cutting machines and connected automation devices for the North American market in Farmington and recently added a new production line to make tube laser cutting machines.
The Smart Factory is equipped with cutting-edge TRUMPF sheet metal fabrication equipment, connected to storage and material handling systems and a fully automated paint line. VL
