Vitramon/Vishay: Sadness Among the Rubble

Joe Slopnick had only been with Vitramon Inc. for two months before the company moved from Trumbull to its brand new headquarters at 10 Main Street in Monroe in 1960.

"A lot of people don't realize how big it was because it was one story from the street, but it was three stories," said Slopnick, a Monroe resident who had worked there for 40 years.

Slopnick recalled when Vitramon was confused with another large building that used to be up the road from it.

"One fella thought it was the bowling alley," he said with a chuckle.

Vitramon, which had been acquired by Vishay, had closed some time ago and its three buildings were demolished this spring.

"I just feel terrible about it," Slopnick said. "It's a heartbreaker."

The names on the demolition application are Waterbury Wrecking and R.D./Scinto Inc. Future plans for the property have yet to be filed at the land offices in Monroe Town Hall.

Historical Facts

Vitramon's name is derived from Vitrious Monolythic, according to Slopnick.

"We made ceramic capacitors," he said. "It was a glass-like material."

Slopnick said around 500 people were employed there at one time. "A lot of Monroe people worked there," he added.

Barton L. Weller was the founder of Vitramon and the Weller Foundation donated the gazebo on the Monroe Town Green in his memory.

Slopnick said Vitramon/Vishay was among the town's highest taxpayers at one time.