🔒Bloomfield manufacturer seeks approval for 10,000-sq.-ft. expansion

Pearse Bertram LLC is asking Bloomfield’s Town Plan and Zoning Commission to approve a major expansion that company officials say is crucial to sustaining growth. The fourth-generation, family-owned industrial automation and contract manufacturing firm is proposing a 10,000-square-foot addition to its existing facility at 22 Tobey Road, where it has operated since 1947. The company now occupies a 30,000-square-foot building. A public hearing on the application, which opened Thursday night at Town Hall, will continue at the commission’s next meeting on Jan. 29. According to documents filed with the commission, the company has reached full capacity and needs additional space to accommodate new equipment, provide adequate employee facilities and meet parking needs. The company said it is pursuing “two large new projects” that would generate future job growth and economic activity, but without the ability to expand, it would be forced to decline new business. “Continued growth and customer demand have brought current manufacturing and facility space close to full capacity,” the company stated in its application. The proposed expansion would continue the company’s growth trajectory. In 2021, the Hartford Business Journal reported that Pearse Bertram had more than doubled its revenue over the past decade while increasing its employee base by 50% to 45 employees. Pearse Bertram said it prefers to remain in Bloomfield rather than relocate to another municipality or state. “The company views Bloomfield not only as its headquarters, but as a long-term partner in its success,” the application states. “An expansion would allow Pearse Bertram to continue investing locally, retain and grow its workforce, strengthen the town’s advanced manufacturing base, and ensure that Bloomfield remains home to a thriving, multi-generational family business.” The company specializes in industrial automation and contract manufacturing, serving industries including aerospace, defense, medical devices, semiconductor, warehouse and logistics automation, and robotics. The company’s origins trace back to 1929 when Pearse Industries was founded in New Jersey. The proposal requires a special permit and revised site plan under town regulations. The property is located in the I-1 General Industrial District. The application states the expansion is consistent with the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development and will improve mobility through additional off-street parking and sidewalk installation.