Date: Nov 11, 2013 Author: Malia Spencer Source: bizjournals (
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Lawrenceville robotics firm RE2 Inc. has been working to get into new markets, broadening its reach beyond its current area of military bomb disposal. Now it looks like they have found an early fit.
The company was awarded Small Business Innovation Research funds by the Air Force Research Laboratory to develop a robotic arm system that can be used to recoat parts of jet engines.
This marks a completely new use for the company's core robotics technology, said President and CEO Jorgen Pedersen. Developing a custom system for military aircraft engines isn't a huge from leap from developing products for companies like Boeing or Airbus. And that is exactly the point.
"This is a foray into commercial markets with similar applications," he said. "It just happens that we are initially doing this development for military applications. It definitely parallels with the commercial sector."
Though the company may be adding markets, Pedersen said he isn't planning on adding to his headcount. The company is holding steady at about 40 employees.
"With the majority of business in the defense sector we aren't seeing tremendous growth. We anticipate growth coming in the next year and a half," he said, noting that last year's sequestration is having some impact. "But, I believe we are weathering that storm. The fact that we are smaller and agile really is helping us along those lines."
