History
Located in Calverton, New York (at the east end of Long Island) the company benefits from a patriotic workforce with deep ties to the defense industry. Island’s operations run through buildings once used by the Grumman Aerospace Corporation (GAC), and many employees previously worked for GAC, or are the children & grandchildren of the prior workforce.
GAC’s historic presence in Long Island traces its roots to 1929, when Leroy Grumman and his partners founded the company in Baldwin, New York. Originally known as the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Company, the business focused on manufacturing military aircraft, and in the early 1940s rapidly expanded to meet the growing needs of the US military during the second World War.
In 1954, Grumman acquired a former naval air station located just west of Riverhead, NY – known at the time as the Calverton Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant (NWIRP). The site was used for testing, evaluation, and storage of military aircraft and weapons systems, including serving a critical role in the development of the Lunar Module (LM) – enabling Grumman to support NASA’s astronauts during the Apollo missions. The module itself was tested and assembled in Calverton, within one of the assembly halls currently occupied by Island’s milling & manufacturing teams. Throughout its years of operation, Grumman utilized the Calverton facility for prototyping, flight evaluation, and manufacturing – including assembly of the Tomcat F-14, which served as the primary air-superiority fighter for the US Navy.
Following Grumman’s departure from the facilities in 1994, the site underwent a redevelopment effort, emerging as the industrial business park presently known as the “Enterprise Park at Calverton” (EPCAL). Today, the campus attracts manufacturing and research & development focused companies, including aviation-based enterprises.
While Grumman’s physical presence is no longer felt at EPCAL, the company’s legacy and contributions to the nation’s defense and space exploration efforts are remembered and honored. Island takes great pride in re-establishing the community’s ties to the industry, and our team remains committed to fully supporting our nation’s defense industrial base.
