Fairfield to Make Significant Corporate Investment

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Fairfield Manufacturing Co., Inc., will make a $53.1 million capital investment over the next three years at its Lafayette, Indiana, plant. The announcement was made at a news conference Monday, December 6, at the facility, which currently employs 1,032. The investment comes as Gary Lehman, Fairfield’s chief executive since 2003, takes over as chief executive officer of the Drive Systems business segment of Switzerland-based Oerlikon AG, which he will oversee from Fairfield in Lafayette.

The Oerlikon Drive Systems segment integrates Fairfield and Italy’s Graziano Transmissioni, as well as their 14 production and sales facilities. Besides Lafayette two are in China, three in India, six in Italy, and one each in Russia and the United Kingdom. “Lafayette is benefiting from two significant investments,” Lehman said. “One is monetary. The other is trust in our potential to handle these huge new responsibilities.”

Fairfield and Graziano will each continue research and development work and retain their own brands in the Drive Systems division, one of six owned by Oerlikon AG, Lehman said. Government leaders were on hand to hail the news. Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said, “The story of Fairfield in Lafayette is indeed a great one. And it gets better with every chapter. What began in 1919 as a small gear shop has grown to be a major force in the industry with worldwide recognition for its products. Our community is indeed proud that Fairfield began here, grew here, and is now writing a new chapter with Gary Lehman directing Oerlikon Drive Systems from here.”

Lehman said because both Fairfield and Graziano are respected leaders in design, development, manufacture and supply of gear and drive solutions for mobile and industrial machinery applications, the integration of the two as Oerlikon Drive Systems will bring a wider range of capabilities and drive solutions to the global market. He expects to see increased product development and innovation in product and manufacturing technologies.
Fairfield Manufacturing is a global leader and North America’s largest independent producer of gear and drive solutions for off-highway and specialty industrial machinery. Fairfield moved to its current site in 1952. It has more than doubled employment since then and expanded facilities several times. Fairfield and Graziano Transmissions, based in Turin, Italy, make up the Drive Systems business segment of Oerlikon AG. Oerlikon AG, one of the world’s leading high-tech industrial groups, is headquartered in Pfaffikon, Switzerland. Including Drive Systems, Oerlikon AG operates six business segments with more than 16,000 employees at 157 sites in 36 countries. More information is available at [www.fairfieldmfg.com] and [www.oerlikon.com].