Naugatuck company expanding

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H. Barber & Sons Inc., a Naugatuck maker of commercial beach rakes, plans to expand its factory at 15 Raytkwich Road, seen here, by 10,000 square feet, according to Borghesi Building & Engineering Co. Inc. of Torrington. -REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
H. Barber & Sons Inc., a Naugatuck maker of commercial beach rakes, plans to expand its factory at 15 Raytkwich Road, seen here, by 10,000 square feet, according to Borghesi Building & Engineering Co. Inc. of Torrington. -REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

NAUGATUCK — A borough company that specializes in making commercial beach rakes is growing.

H. Barber & Sons Inc., founded in the early 1960s with the invention of the Surf Rake Model 500 for grooming sand beaches, will be adding a 10,000-square-foot addition to its 14,000-square-foot building in the Naugatuck Industrial Park, according to Torrington builder Borghesi Building & Engineering Co. Inc.

Barber’s business has grown to include the Sand Man 850 and Sand Man TT, according to its website. The company also makes three Turf Rake stone pickers designed to remove stones from soil, and Litter Picker and Road Rake for picking up litter from grass and pavement, the website shows.

To date, Barber has sold more beach cleaners worldwide — in use in more than 90 countries on six continents — than any other brand, the company’s website states.

In 1989, the company bought a 5-acre parcel on Raytkwich Road and hired Borghesi to build a 6,600-square-foot plant on it to handle the business’ continued growth, Borghesi Chairman Alan Borghesi said. Borghesi then built a 7,800-foot addition in 1996 and began the latest add-on last week. The project is expected to be finished in June, Borghesi said.

The roughly 24-foot-tall addition will be made of structural steel and walls consisting of concrete block and steel siding, he said.

The property is appraised at $547,900, and has an assessed value of $383,530, according to borough records.

Calls to Barber were not returned.

Ron Pugliese, CEO and president of the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation, said H. Barber & Sons’ expansion is good news for the borough and the industrial park, which is home to more than 60 businesses

“We’re just absolutely thrilled,” he said. “They’re a great company.”