Kaney, Inc., a Velocity One portfolio company, today announced a $2.88 million investment in its BGT Aerospace facility in Freeland, Michigan, expanding manufacturing capacity, adding advanced production equipment, and reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to the local community. The investment supports Kaney's strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities for aerospace, defense, space, and advanced mobility applications.
"This investment reflects our confidence in BGT Aerospace and the Freeland community," said Steven Martinez, president, Kaney. "By investing in our people and expanding our manufacturing capabilities, we are positioning BGT for continued growth while strengthening our ability to support the evolving needs of the aerospace and defense industry."
The investment includes new machining, precision grinding, automation, and inspection technologies that will increase production capacity for precision ball screw assemblies and motion control components. As part of the expansion, Kaney has selected Morris Midwest to supply multiple five-axis CNC machining centers.
"The addition of advanced five-axis machining technology will help BGT increase manufacturing capacity while maintaining the precision and quality required by aerospace and defense customers," said Derek Armbruster, president, Morris Midwest.
BGT Aerospace manufactures precision ball screw assemblies and motion control components for customers including Northrop Grumman, Safran, Virgin Galactic, and Hummingbird Aero. The company received the 2024 Northrop Grumman Supplier Excellence Award for Strategic Excellence.
As part of the investment, Kaney appointed Dustin Sargent as director of operations and site lead for BGT Aerospace. Reporting to Jennifer Aurelien, vice president of operations, he will oversee facility operations and help lead the site's continued growth and expansion.
"Dustin Sargent's operational experience and leadership make him the right person to lead this next phase of growth," said Jennifer Aurelien, vice president of operations, Kaney. "He will play a key role as we expand our operations and continue delivering the quality and performance our customers expect."