Worcester Business Journal

20 Worcester Business Journal | April 6, 2026 | wbjournal.com F O C U S MANUFACTURING GENERAL MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE - LARGE BUSINESS CATEGORY Coghlin Cos., in Westborough GENERAL MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE – SMALL BUSINESS Killeen Manufacturing – Killeen Security Products, in Auburn PRODUCT INNOVATION Waters Corp., in Milford WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTIVITY The L.S. Starrett Co., in Athol Locations: 10 Industry subsector: Complex capital equipment manufacturing Founded: 1885 Employees: 900 Top executives: Chris Coghlin, president, CEO, and chief culture officer; Jim Coghlin, vice chairman and chief supply chain officer; Chris Palermo, CFO; John DeCarlo, chief technology officer and commercialization coach Primary product: Time-to-market services including engineering, manufacturing, and fulfillment Coghlin Cos. has grown a 140-year- old business into a 900-employee manufacturer serving industries including medical devices, robotics, and semiconductors, while remaining family-owned in its fourth generation. e company does not make its own products. Instead, it works with other firms to develop, build, and deliver complex equipment, particularly in regulated sectors such as health care. In the past year, Coghlin expanded into new service lines, including refur- bishment and consumables for medical devices, while increasing its work in defense and security. It continued roll- ing out lean and 6S practices across its operations, part of an ongoing effort to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Its model – handling engineering, production, and post-sale support – has allowed it to work across industries and maintain steady growth. Industry subsector: Precision-turned product manufacturing Founded: 1924 Employees: 36 Top executive: Gene Degre, president Primary product: Commercial lock hardware Killeen Manufacturing has sustained its operations for more than a century by focusing on precision machining and consistent product quality. e Auburn-based company produces commercial lock hardware, relying on a small workforce to maintain production standards and meet customer demands. Over the past year, Killeen intro- duced automation systems into its production process, marking a shi in how work is completed on the shop floor. e company paired that investment with workforce develop- ment, moving existing employees into higher-skilled and higher-paying roles. e transition was supported in part through collaboration with local partners, including the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partner- ship, as the company adapted its oper- ations while retaining its workforce. Killeen's business is built on long-standing customer relationships and a reputation for reliability. e company continues to balance modern- ization efforts with a focus on maintain- ing quality and workforce stability. Locations: 10 global hubs; presence in more than 100 countries Industry subsector: Laboratory and analytical instruments Founded: 1958 Employees: 16,000 Top executive: Udit Batra, president and CEO Primary product: Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems Annual revenue: $6.4 billion Waters Corp. develops analytical in- struments used in drug development, food safety testing, and environmental analysis, producing tools designed to generate faster and more precise data. Its products are used by research- ers working to bring new drugs and diagnostic tools to market, supporting a range of scientific and industrial applications. One of its most recent product advances is the BioResolve Protein A column, which improves sensitivity in antibody measurement by up to seven times compared with existing options. e higher sensitivity allows scientists to obtain reliable results up to two days sooner. e product is used in biopharmaceutical workflows, where faster data can shorten development timelines for new therapies. It reduces the amount of sample material needed, improving efficiency across repeated testing processes. Waters manufactures these prod- ucts at its Taunton facility, the first LEED-certified chemical manufactur- ing site in Massachusetts, designed to support more efficient resource use. Locations: Five in the U.S.; six globally Industry subsector: Precision measuring tools manufacturing Founded: 1880 Employees: 303 in Massachusetts; more than 1,500 globally Top executives: Roger Amrol Jr., president and CEO; Barry Laughlin, chief operating officer; Allen Look, global chief information officer; Jon-Michael Raymond, chief revenue officer Primary product: Precision measuring tools Annual revenue: $250 million e L.S. Starrett Co. has focused on workforce training and operation- al alignment as it works to improve performance across its manufactur- ing operations. With $250 million in annual revenue, the company produces precision measuring tools used across manufacturing industries. Over the past year, the Athol-based manufacturer implemented a Func- tional Management Development System, linking long-term strategy to plant-level goals and daily operations. e system emphasizes hands-on problem solving and has been used to improve performance in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. e approach sup- ports employee development, with a focus on building leadership skills and aligning teams around shared objec- tives. Starrett has invested in external training partnerships, including work with the National Coalition of Cer- tification Centers to offer certifica- tions in precision measurement and manufacturing fundamentals, aimed at strengthening both its current work- force and future talent pipeline. Its workforce strategy combines long-tenured employees with new hires as part of ongoing training and development efforts. W W W W

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