AVON, Mass.—AccuRounds has broken ground on an 18,000 square foot addition to its facility in Avon, Massachusetts that will increase the company's precision machining capacity to meet growing customer demand. The expansion, which will add new manufacturing and office space, is key to AccuRounds' plans to double its revenue and increase employment—the company now employs close to 70 people—by 50 percent over the next five years. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2014.

The new space will incorporate lean principles, which have long been integral to AccuRounds' operations. With the ultimate goal of eliminating inefficiency and waste, representatives of construction management firm Dacon Corporation participated with AccuRounds in a Production Preparation Process (3P) that addressed the flow of people, materials, information, production, and supplies to determine the best possible layout. As a result of this process, AccuRounds will be able to provide customers with a superior product at a competitive cost, the company said.

"The plant expansion will streamline our manufacturing and production processes, enhancing the efficiency of our operation," said AccuRounds President and CEO Michael Tamasi, in a press release announcing the expansion. "Manufacturing is a strong sector in the Massachusetts economy, and we are very pleased to be part of its growth."

The project is being funded with a bond facilitated by MassDevelopment, a provider of finance programs and real estate development services. "We're thrilled to provide access to this low-cost financing for AccuRounds to expand in Avon," said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. "The company exemplifies the Commonwealth's vibrant manufacturing sector and has promoted the industry through the Massachusetts Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative and at the state's first Advanced Manufacturing Summit last June."

AccuRounds (www.accurounds.com), founded in 1976, is a contract manufacturer that machines and assembles precision turned components for a variety of industries. The company was awarded the Shingo Prize Northeast Region Silver Medallion in 2006 for its implementation and practice of lean manufacturing principles, becoming the first metal working contract manufacturer in North America to win the Shingo Prize.