In 1944, a young engineer, Roger C. Fairchild, decided that he was ready to start his own contract manufacturing business, making millions of machined components desperately needed to support WWII. His intimate knowledge of the high speed automatic screw machines produced by the Brown & Sharpe Company of Rhode Island was a perfect complement to his natural abilities to know and serve the needs of the many firms engaged in producing the goods and armaments needed to support America in her epic struggle against a determined enemy.
Roger started his business in Southington, CT, later moving to Winsted, CT in 1946 and incorporating as Fairchild Screw Products. He provided guidance to his customers and employees alike as he directed them in designing and producing high volume machined parts that were needed by an economy that was transitioning from war production to consumer goods.
In 1953 Mr. Fairchild built a new facility to house his growing business at 10 White Street, Winsted, CT. Two years later, two hurricanes swept through the state, followed by a flood that devastated the western valleys of Connecticut. Through tireless work and unbending dedication, Fairchild’s employees were able to shovel out up to 28” of silt, mud and ruin from the factory floor, remove the equipment’s electrical motors, clean, dry and oil their components, and re-install in less than two weeks after the flood waters had receded! The company continues to operate out of 10 White Street to this very day.
The next 12 years were a period of continued expansion, growth and the addition of secondary machining operations that allowed the company to provide their customers with more complex components. In 1965, Mr. Fairchild retired as President and his son, R. Stanley Fairchild, assumed operating control of the business. In the following year, the name of the company was changed to Fairchild Precision Parts, Inc.
After Stanley’s death in 1970, Marcia Fairchild, his widow, assumed Presidency of the company with Norman F. Thompson as Vice President and General Manager. Together they ran the business successfully and continued its established pattern of growth and technological development. In 1980, Mrs. Fairchild sold the business to Mr. Thompson, who continued serving Fairchild as President until 2003, whereupon he was succeeded by his son, Jonathan Thompson.
Over the years, increased growth in sales led to the need for more space. Several additions were made to the manufacturing plant, enlarging it to just over 16,000 square feet. Newer, greater capacity machinery was added during this time as customers began demanding increasingly complex and precise parts. This led to the incorporation of CNC turning and milling equipment, which now comprises a significant portion of the company’s operations.
In late 2022, Jonathan Thompson sold the business to Leland Licciardi, a close family friend of the Thompson’s, who had extensive experience in Aerospace Manufacturing. “Over the past few years, it became clear to me that at some point I would need to plan my retirement and find a new owner for Fairchild Precision Parts. As I evaluated my options for the right person to continue Fairchild’s legacy of high-quality products for our customers and focus on our employees, I decided on bringing in a close family friend of mine, Leland Licciardi, to take over as the new owner” said Jake.
Leland has ambitious plans to grow the company in both its physical presence and technological capabilities to ensure the business is staying ahead of the ever-developing landscape of the industry. Fairchild Precision Parts (now Fairchild Precision Parts) continues to provide its customers with products demonstrating the highest level of quality and delivered in a manner exceeding their expectations.