Kaman
Kaman Corporation is a precision engineered components manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. It operates nine specialized sub-brands supplying seals, bearings, fuzes, sensors, composites, and helicopters to primes like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersBloomfield, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kaman does
Kaman Corporation is a precision engineered components manufacturer founded in 1945 and headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets through two reportable segments: Aerospace and Defense, and Industrial Distribution. The company operates a federation of nine specialized sub-brands — Bal Seal Engineering (spring-energized seals, canted coil springs, electrical contacts), EXTEX Engineered Products (certified aftermarket aerospace parts), GRW and RWG (precision bearings), Kaman Air Vehicles (K-MAX and SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters), Kaman Composites (metallic and composite aerostructures), Kaman Fuzing (fuzes and safing/arming devices), Kaman Measuring (non-contact displacement and speed sensors), and Kamatics (self-lubricating bearings and flexible drive systems). Each sub-brand addresses demanding technical requirements in aerospace, defense, medical, dental, semiconductor, energy, and general industrial applications, with products qualified to stringent OEM and government certifications.
Kaman's business model is anchored by long-term supply contracts with major aerospace and defense prime contractors — Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus are explicitly named enterprise customers — and by direct sales of engineered products to industrial OEMs. Revenue mechanics are dominated by hardware sales of qualified components under multi-year program agreements, with the industrial distribution segment adding volume through third-party industrial bearings, seals, and fluid-power products. The company maintains a global operating footprint with manufacturing, engineering, and commercial sites across the United States (Connecticut, California, Arizona, Colorado, Vermont), Germany (Rimpar, Höchstadt), the Netherlands (Amsterdam), and Hong Kong. Kaman was taken private in January 2024 when The Carlyle Group acquired the company for approximately $1.8 billion in an all-cash transaction, and in April 2025 divested its KARGO UAV program to Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, refocusing the portfolio on precision components rather than whole aircraft.
Kaman firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kaman
- Legal name
- Kaman Corporation
- Website
- https://kaman.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Kaman Corporation is a precision engineered components manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. It operates nine specialized sub-brands supplying seals, bearings, fuzes, sensors, composites, and helicopters to primes like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kaman industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace and Defense Precision Engineered Components
- NAICS
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (3364), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Ball & Roller Bearings (3562), Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480), Aircraft & Parts (3720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aerospace Bearings, Bushings & Motion Components (IMABANAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Military/Defense Helicopter Manufacturing (IMABABAB), Aerospace Seals, Gaskets, O-Rings & Elastomeric Components (IMABANAF), Ordnance Components & Subassemblies (Casings, Liners, Guidance Sections) (IMABAHAL), Special-Mission Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (ISR, AEW&C, Patrol) (IMABAAAH)
Keywords
Where Kaman is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bloomfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
Kaman business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Aerospace and Defense Segment: Precision engineered components for aerospace and defense markets including helicopters, composites, fuzing, measurement systems, seals and bearings. Relies on long-term contracts with prime contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus.
- Industrial Distribution Segment: Distribution of precision parts and engineered products to industrial markets
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Kaman product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kaman designs, engineers, and manufactures highly engineered aerospace and defense products, including precision bearings, spring-energized seals, fuzing and safing/arm devices, precision displacement sensors, composite aerostructures, and manned and unmanned aircraft systems such as the K-MAX helicopter and SH-2G Super Seasprite. It also operates an industrial distribution business selling bearings, seals, and related MRO supplies to OEM and MRO customers.
Product overview
Kaman Corporation is a precision engineered components manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets through two segments: Aerospace and Defense, and Industrial Distribution. The company operates multiple specialized sub-brands rather than a single unified platform. Key product lines include Bal Seal Engineering (spring-energized seals and contacts), EXTEX (aftermarket aerospace parts), GRW and RWG (precision bearings), Kaman Air Vehicles (K-MAX and SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters), Kaman Composites (aerostructures), Kaman Fuzing (munitions fuzes and safing/arming devices), Kaman Measuring (displacement sensors), and Kamatics (self-lubricating bearings). Note: Kaman Air Vehicles' KARGO UAV program was divested to Piasecki Aircraft in April 2025, and Kaman Precision Products and Kaman Composites have become separate companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bal Seal Engineering: Spring-energized seals, canted coil springs and contacts for critical equipment protection
- EXTEX Engineered Products
- GRW
- Kaman Air Vehicles
- Kaman Composites
- Kaman Fuzing
- Kaman Measuring
- Kamatics
- RWG
Products and services
- K-MAX Heavy-Lift Helicopter
- SH-2G Super Seasprite Naval Helicopter
- KARGO Unmanned Aerial System
- Self-Lubricating Bearings (Kamatics)
- Seals, Springs, and Contacts (Bal Seal Engineering)
- Precision Bearings (GRW and RWG)
- Displacement Sensors (Kaman Measuring)
- Fuzing and Safing/Arm Devices (Kaman Fuzing)
- Composite and Metallic Aerostructures (Kaman Composites)
- Aerospace Aftermarket Parts (EXTEX Engineered Products)
- Industrial Distribution of Bearings and MRO Supplies
Companies that use Kaman
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kaman technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Kaman partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Piasecki Aircraft Corporationformer - asset divestiturePiasecki Aircraft acquired Kaman Air Vehicles' KARGO UAV program, including all intellectual property and assets. The program received an initial $12 million award and completed autonomous flight testing with U.S. Marine Corps and Army. Demand projected to exceed 300 aircraft. Operations relocated to Piasecki's Heliplex facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Kaman competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Triumph Group: Triumph Group designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs, and overhauls aerospace and defense structural components, control systems, and accessories, directly competing with Kaman Composites, Kamatics, and Kaman Air Vehicles in support of major aerospace and defense programs.
- Park Aerospace Corp. Park Aerospace (formerly Park Electrochemical) produces composite materials and parts, including composite aerostructures and laminate structures for aerospace and defense applications, directly comparable to Kaman Composites Vermont.
- HEICO Corporation: HEICO operates two segments: Flight Support Group (FAA-approved aftermarket replacement parts for aircraft components, similar to EXTEX) and Electronic Technologies Group (mission-critical components for aerospace and defense, similar to Kaman's precision engineered components).
- Senior plc: Senior plc is a UK-based manufacturer of precision engineered components for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, with comparable fluid conveyance, structural, and high-precision engineered product offerings for prime contractors and OEMs.
- Ducommun Incorporated: Ducommun provides engineering, manufacturing, and after-market support for aerospace and defense structural components and electronic systems, with comparable exposure to commercial and military fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms via long-term prime contractor relationships.
- Moog Inc. Moog designs and manufactures precision motion control products and systems for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, with direct overlap to Kaman in precision components, fuzing-related actuation, and high-reliability engineered subsystems.
Emerging players
- Hexcel Corporation: Hexcel is a leading manufacturer of advanced composite materials for commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial markets. The recent appointment of Kaman's former CEO to Hexcel's board underscores direct comparability of composite aerostructures product lines.
Broad incumbents
- TransDigm Group: TransDigm is the leading acquirer and operator of proprietary, sole-source aerospace components with a similar business model of embedding precision parts into long-cycle commercial and defense platforms, much like Kaman's bearing, seal, and engineered product lines.
- Curtiss-Wright Corporation: Curtiss-Wright manufactures highly engineered, mission-critical components and systems for defense, commercial aerospace, and industrial markets, with comparable product breadth in precision motion control, sensors, and defense electronics across similar long-cycle customer programs.
Regional players
- AAR Corp: AAR provides aviation aftermarket services and parts distribution to commercial and government customers globally, with comparable aerospace aftermarket parts distribution and MRO parts supply overlap with Kaman's EXTEX engineered products business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kaman social profiles
Digital presenceKaman financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kaman leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kaman subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Kaman funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kaman M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A25 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kaman
What does Kaman do?
Kaman designs, engineers, and manufactures highly engineered aerospace and defense products, including precision bearings, spring-energized seals, fuzing and safing/arm devices, precision displacement sensors, composite aerostructures, and manned and unmanned aircraft systems such as the K-MAX helicopter and SH-2G Super Seasprite. It also operates an industrial distribution business selling bearings, seals, and related MRO supplies to OEM and MRO customers.
Is Kaman a public or private company?
Kaman is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.
When was Kaman founded?
Kaman was founded in 1945. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Kaman based?
Kaman is headquartered in Bloomfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kaman make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Aerospace and Defense Segment is the primary driver. The others are industrial Distribution Segment.
Who are Kaman's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Triumph Group, Park Aerospace Corp., HEICO Corporation, Senior plc, Ducommun Incorporated and Moog Inc.. Hexcel Corporation is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are TransDigm Group and Curtiss-Wright Corporation. AAR Corp is listed as a regional player.
Does Kaman have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kaman.
What industry is Kaman in?
Kaman's product category is Aerospace and Defense Precision Engineered Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABANAB, Aerospace Bearings, Bushings & Motion Components, with a secondary code of IMABABAB, Military/Defense Helicopter Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 33641 and its SIC code is 3728.