Sterling Heights manufacturer Chardam Gear Company will spend upwards of $9 million expanding its business over the next year.

The aerospace component specialists have purchased land just north of their current premises on Mound Road for $1.5 million and will construct a 15,500-square-foot building, most of which will be manufacturing space. The company will outfit the new premises with $7.5 million in new equipment to keep up with the demands of its customers, which includes clients in commercial aerospace, defense, and the space industry.

Chardam Gear Company Vice President Kay Becker says it’s a significant investment and hopes that increased business will mean more business for their supply chain, many of which are local. The company also hopes to add 20 new staff members to their 127 employees over the next two years.

With the International Air Transport Association expecting the rate of commercial air travelers to almost double by 2035, and Deloitte predicting higher defense spending on aerospace this year, Chardam Gear has good reason to be hopeful.

Strategists have recommended innovation in the sector, and Becker alludes to a new product line the company is working on that she cannot reveal at the moment.

“It’s exciting,” she says. “The aerospace business is booming, so we are in a good spot.”

Chardam Gear also owns the building behind their current premises, a 25,000-square-foot structure which operates as their gear-box manufacturing facility, as well as the lot in front of their premises.

“It gives us a lot of land for future expansion,” says Becker.
 

Expanding manufacturing businesses can be challenging, as every product has to have “First Article” approval to pass US standards. For this reason, Becker says their main focus will always be on quality.

“We all fly, we all have family who flies, so there’s nothing more important than quality in aerospace.”