Montville firms Marotta Controls and Day Out Snacks secure major national wins

Montville Township continues to serve as a hub for high-performing local enterprises that are expanding their reach across the nation. In late June 2026, two distinct companies based in the township announced major achievements that highlight the diversity of the district's industrial and consumer sectors.

Marotta Controls, an aerospace and defense supplier with deep roots in Montville, received a prestigious honor from one of its largest partners. The company was named as one of only 11 recipients of the Lockheed Martin Exceptional Small Business Performance Award for 2025 during an announcement on June 23.

This recognition marks the fifth time Marotta Controls has earned this specific award, underscoring a long-standing relationship with the defense giant. The annual honor is designed to spotlight small business suppliers that delivered the greatest value and innovation to Lockheed Martin over the previous year.

A Decade of Defense Partnership

Steven Fox, senior vice president for power and actuation systems at Marotta Controls, emphasized the depth of this collaboration in a statement regarding the win. He noted that earning the honor for the fifth time speaks to the durability of their partnership with Lockheed Martin over more than 15 years.

Fox explained that teams from both organizations have worked side by side on some of the most demanding programs within the Missiles and Fire Control portfolio. The company consistently delivers precision, performance, and reliability required for these critical missions according to Fox's remarks.

Being named among an elite group of Exceptional Small Businesses reinforces that Marotta is more than just a supplier. Fox stated that this status confirms they are a trusted extension of the Lockheed Martin team ready to meet today's mission and future challenges ahead.

The company was founded in 1943 and has previously received the same award in 2022 and 2023 for fulfilling subassembly needs. These recent awards were specifically tied to work on Lockheed Martin's next-generation long-range Precision-Strike Missile designed for the U.S. Army.

Marotta also earned this distinction in 2015 and 2013, which recognized its development of power supplies for missile programs. This history shows a consistent pattern of high-level performance across different eras of defense technology development within the township.

Andy Booker, vice president of Lockheed Martin Global Supply Chain Operations, highlighted specific operational successes achieved by Marotta Controls during this period. He stated that Marotta has consistently outperformed every contractual milestone and delivered key hardware a full year ahead of schedule.

Booker noted that maintaining this lead-time advantage across successive programs is a significant achievement for the supply chain. By internalizing the high-volume Motorfox line, Marotta gave Lockheed Martin direct control over a critical actuation subsystem according to Booker's comments.

This strategic move eliminated a single point of failure and markedly improved system reliability for the defense contractor. The ability to deliver hardware ahead of schedule while improving reliability demonstrates why Marotta remains a key partner in national security efforts.

New National Retail Presence

While Marotta Controls focuses on defense, another Montville-based brand is making waves in the consumer food market with a massive retail expansion. Day Out Snacks announced an exclusive nationwide rollout of its products into more than 2,000 Target stores beginning June 8.

This launch represents the company's first permanent national retail placement and marks a significant step up from previous distribution channels. The brand is known for protein balls that deliver 12 grams of protein per serving to consumers looking for convenient nutrition options.

The collection available in these Target stores includes core flavors such as brownie batter, cookie dough, cinnamon bun, and peanut butter cup. These items are part of the product line that has already established a presence at Costco and ShopRite locations prior to this expansion.

Before securing this nationwide deal with Target, Day Out products were sold in more than 800 retail locations across various regions. The jump from hundreds of stores to over 2,000 represents a substantial increase in visibility for the Montville-based brand among national shoppers.

The announcement was made on June 8 by NJBIZ reporter Kimberly Redmond as an exclusive story about the company's growth trajectory. This expansion places Day Out Snacks alongside major national brands while maintaining its identity as a local New Jersey business success story.

What It Means for Montville

These two announcements illustrate how businesses in Morris County are scaling operations to meet both federal defense needs and consumer demands. For residents of the 11th Congressional District, these wins suggest that local companies are capable of competing at the highest levels on a national stage.

The success of Marotta Controls indicates strong demand for specialized manufacturing skills within the district's industrial base. The ability to deliver complex hardware ahead of schedule suggests a highly skilled workforce and efficient production capabilities in Montville Township.

Similarly, Day Out Snacks demonstrates that local food manufacturers can achieve significant distribution milestones without leaving their home community. Expanding into thousands of Target stores means products made locally are now accessible to millions of consumers across the country.

Both companies contribute to the economic vitality of Montville by maintaining operations and potentially expanding employment as they grow. The diversity between a defense contractor and a consumer snack brand shows that the local economy is not reliant on a single industry sector for success.

Looking Ahead

Marotta Controls stated it remains ready to meet future missions alongside its partner Lockheed Martin in the coming years. With a history of delivering ahead of schedule, the company appears poised to continue supporting critical defense programs like the Precision-Strike Missile initiative.

Day Out Snacks has now secured a permanent foothold in one of the largest retail chains in the United States through this Target partnership. The brand will likely focus on maintaining quality and supply chain efficiency as it scales production for thousands of new store locations nationwide.