By Ray Hershel

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (abc40) -- A local manufacturing company is enjoying success despite a difficult labor market.

Hoppe Tool is a third generation precision manufacturing company located in Chicopee. The company does a lot of contract work for the government including defense work.

Its workforce has grown to 96 full-time employees, which is up 25 percent from two years ago.

 Over that same period of time its sales have increased 75 percent.

Douglas Hagopian, Hoppe Tool vice president of manufacturing, said Wednesday the company has not been afraid to make investments and take advantage of the high-tech equipment that's available in the marketplace.