Bradenton manufacturer aims for global growth

BRADENTON — A rebranding effort at Honeycomb Company of America, one of the largest aerospace manufacturers in Manatee County, took its latest big step earlier in July.

The 115-employee firm sent two top executives, including CEO Steven Walker, to the United Kingdom for the Farnborough International Airshow. Walker and Bill Bryson, business development director, spent the bulk of the show meeting with suppliers, vendors and potential clients. Honeycomb manufactures airplane wings, helicopter rotors and related parts for aircraft such as the Boeing KC-135 tanker, a military aerial refueling plane, and the C-5, a large military transport plane. Honeycomb also builds parts for Boeing helicopters and is in discussions with Sikorsky helicopters to be one of that firm's approved suppliers.

Boston-based private equity fund Overall Capital Partners acquired Honeycomb, founded in 1947 in Bridgeport, Conn., last year. The airshow, says Bryson, was the firm's first big marketing effort under the new ownership. “We're not the same old Honeycomb,” Bryson told the Business Observer in an interview. “We are renewed and reenergized. Now it's a slow process of getting our name out there.”