Columbia Manufacturing
Columbia, CT
Where the hard stuff stays in-house.
Complex fabrication, machining, welding, heat treat, and special processes for critical turbine-engine applications.
BEST-FIT WORK | CAPABILITIES | HISTORY | CAREERS | CONTACT
BEST-FIT WORK
Columbia Manufacturing specializes in complex, close-tolerance fabricated components and assemblies for demanding turbine-engine programs.
From its 90,000-square-foot Connecticut facility, Columbia supports OEM and MRO work across military and aerospace, commercial aviation, energy, and marine applications. The shop currently produces parts for more than 30 turbine-engine platforms and performs 15 critical processes in-house.
Especially well suited for:
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Complex sheet metal fabrications and assemblies
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Parts requiring multiple in-house special processes
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Repair and overhaul of turbine-engine components
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Turbine-engine components
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Exotic and high-performance materials
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Tight-tolerance machined and fabricated parts
CAPABILITIES
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3- and 4-axis CNC milling, CNC turning, conventional machining, deburring, large-diameter turning, and complex fabrication. Columbia supports machining up to 70 inches.
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Sheet metal assembly, double-action expansion forming, hot forming, cold forming, hydraulic forming, roll forming, and shearing.
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TIG, spot, seam, plasma, robotic and resistance welding, plus torch and vacuum brazing.
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In-house heat treating, fluorescent penetrant inspection, cleaning, and other controlled special processes. Keeping these capabilities under one roof gives Columbia more control over quality and lead time.
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SOLIDWORKS and CAMWorks CAD/CAM, manufacturability review, material and tolerance input, in-house tooling, and 3D printing for select tooling applications.
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FAA/EASA-certified MRO support for commercial, military, and industrial turbine-engine components.
HISTORY
More than 40 years in aerospace manufacturing.
Columbia Manufacturing was founded in 1980 by David Bell Sr., a lifelong aerospace manufacturing guy who began his career as a Pratt & Whitney machinist apprentice in 1956.
After building a career in the industry, Dave returned to Connecticut intending to retire on a farm in Columbia. Retirement didn’t last long. He saw an opportunity in aerospace manufacturing, opened a shop on Route 66, and grew it into the company that stands there today. Over time, Columbia expanded twice and became a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing operation.
It’s always been a family business. Dave’s children and grandchildren held roles throughout the company, and his grandson Jared Vajner still works there today as a quality engineer, CMM programmer, and Level III for NDT.
Columbia joined Collective Manufacturing in 2025 and is proud to continue building on Dave’s legacy.
CAREERS
Make things that matter.
Columbia’s team manufactures and repairs components for aircraft, turbine engines, power systems, and other critical applications around the world.
If you like solving hard problems and learning from people who know their craft, we’d like to meet you.
Got a program
for Columbia?
Tell us what you’re working on and send over your drawings, specs, or other project details. We’ll get them in front of the right people.