They say that big things come in small packages . In the case of Arlington , Washington-based Newell Corporation , the more appropriate phrasing might be that big things come in small towns . While Arlington has fewer than 20,000 people , Newell ’ s machine shop produces some of the largest tooling and flyaway parts on the West Coast .
Whether it is a tooling jig to complete a wing assembly on a Boeing 777X or a large concentric component for a rocket heading to space , no job is too big for Newell .
Established in 1982 as a machine shop that focused on equipment fabrication and repair , the company has grown the scope of industries it serves , the scale of the work it does , and its reputation for providing quality products and services to its customers . Eric VanWerven purchased the shop in 2019 and led the company through AS9100D certification and increased the company ’ s focus on aerospace and emerging technologies .
Capabilities
On a 10-acre parcel of land , Newell manufactures parts with three classes of machines in three buildings . One building houses the biggest collection of large horizontal boring mills in the West . Two 5-axis horizontal boring mills can handle parts 43 feet long and 12 feet tall on a rotary table with a 40-ton capacity . Two additional boring mills are only slightly smaller . These large machines are particularly useful for aerospace applications because they minimize the number of required set-ups to complete a job , thereby saving time and money while improving quality .
The company ’ s vertical turning lathes include a 2008 Toshiba TSS-30 that has a maximum turning envelope of 20 feet in diameter and 12 feet in height .
This equipment enables Newell to machine many unique components , particularly huge concentric parts , with a high level of accuracy . These features are very well-suited for commercial space manufacturing where components are often sizable and round .
In addition to its large scale machines , Newell also houses several high precision , 5-axis machines designed for small to medium-sized milling projects . These machines expand the gamut of products the company produces and gives them the capacity to take on more challenging projects .
38 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS