The expansion would give Lee Co. more room to increase production and add manufacturing jobs as the company continues to grow.
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Westbrook-based Lee Co. plans to acquire manufacturing facilities in Beacon Falls and South Carolina, adding nearly 120,000 square feet to its operations, the company announced.
The properties include a 35,000-square-foot building in Beacon Falls and an 84,500-square-foot facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Lee Co. — which manufactures miniature valves, pumps and other components that control the flow of liquids and gases in aircraft, medical equipment, automobiles and industrial machinery — did not disclose the purchase prices, property addresses or expected closing dates.
The Beacon Falls facility is expected to house employees and equipment from Petron Automation, a Watertown-based precision machining and contract manufacturing company. Lee Co. said it began acquiring Petron’s assets earlier this year and plans to retain the company’s employees and continue production, according to the announcement.
The company said the additional space will allow it to increase production and create jobs for machinists and other manufacturing workers.
It did not say how many positions could be added.
The expansion follows Lee Co.’s March opening of a 27,500-square-foot Innovation Center in Westbrook. The $20 million facility, designed to accelerate product development, is expected to employ about 25 engineers, drafters and machinists when fully staffed.
Founded in 1948, Lee Co. manufactures precision fluid-control components used in aerospace, automotive, health care and other industries. The family-owned company employs about 1,200 people at its Westbrook and Essex operations.
