D'Addario & Co. bringing work back to LI

At guitar-string maker D'Addario & Co. in Farmingdale, the big move West is going to be even bigger this year.

Chief executive James D'Addario said in an interview Tuesday that as much as $4 million in work now done in plants in China may be brought back to Long Island in 2012. Last year, D'Addario said, some $2 million in work was returned to the Island.

"Costs have been going up in China," D'Addario said, citing higher labor costs. "We've been very aggressive finding ways to bring stuff back here."

D'Addario said bringing work back here has created about 20 more jobs. Another five to 10 jobs could be added here this year.

In all, D'Addario has about 800 employees.

Some new equipment has made it more efficient to make electric guitar cables here. A $500,000 cable production cell -- actually a series of connected machines -- cuts and solders cables that connect guitars and amplifiers.

Craig Harbauer, D'Addario's director of East Coast operations, said the first delivery of cable from the new machines will be next week. Harbauer said the company is able to deliver product more quickly.

"This allows us to make higher-quality products here," he said.

The family owned manufacturer in 2011 received $1.9 million in state tax credits toward a $9 million expansion that calls for 50 people to be added to the payroll.