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Archive for October, 2012

Rag Time

Monday, October 22nd, 2012


When the one of the world’s oldest textile recyclers outgrew its Massachusetts facility, the owners decided it made sense to expand just up the road.

To New Hampshire, in the Sagamore Industrial Park in Hudson.

And so we say hello and welcome to E. Butterworth & Co., which was founded in 1839. More than 170 years later, business is huge, company owner Bob Travis tells us, because since the company expanded earlier this summer, “we need twice as much space already.”

The company could have expanded closer to its Dracut, Mass. headquarters, but Bob says he likes the business climate in New Hampshire much better. He worked with business recruiter Cynthia Harrington to find a new facility and get connected with available resources.

Travis, his son, Ryan, and son-in-law Jeff Pearl, oversee the recycling of over 20 million pounds of textile waste each year – material that is kept out of the nation’s landfills and turned into rags used for industrial purposes.

The textiles come from all kinds of places – commercial laundries to clothing that’s well past its fashion era. Looking at the enormous bales of cloth, in a riots of colors, you can’t help but think that this is where old clothes go to die.

On the other hand, if it’s made of 100 percent cotton, it finds a different kind of purpose. Those fibers are sent off to a mill in Ohio that manufacturers the paper used to print U.S. currency, which makes E. Butterworth & Co. a pretty neat rags to riches story.

 

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

Division of Economic Development

 

 

Ready, Willing and Able

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

John Murray, left, John Patten ~ Murdawg Custom and Everything Automotive

Several hundred people came out to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center here in Concord to recognize businesses from around the state that reach out with opportunity and encouragement to assist people with disabilities in finding a job.

“This event is a wonderful way to raise awareness with businesses about the importance of promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce,” says Jim Hinson, who is with New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation. “By sharing the successful experiences of New Hampshire employers, we hope more will follow.”

We heard a few of those stories this morning, of how employers large and small hired men and women for jobs in their organizations and finding them as enthusiastic, dependable and reliable as the rest of their workers.

John Murray of Murdawg Custom and Everything Automotive in Ossipee told a great story – of how he and his wife, Maggie, believe in giving back to their community and how, one day, he was introduced to John Patten by way of Northern Human Services.

Over the next few minutes, Murray explained how, having no positions available, he agreed to mentor Patten one evening a week. How mentoring turned in a full-time position, how Patten is more than just an employee.

“He’s a part of my family,” Murray said.

The 2012 Employment Leadership Award winners are:

– Murdawg Custom and Everything Automotive, Ossipee

Chartwells, a food service company in Concord

Pete & Gerry’s Organics, Monroe

Remcon North Corp., Meredith

Rita Mae’s restaurant, Manchester

Rounding out the top 10 were Constantly Pizza, Concord; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital, Manchester; Kellermeyer Bergensons Services; Sodexo at St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua and T-Bones, Laconia.

Gov. Lynch received the first Individual Employment Leadership award, for his work in recognizing that those with disabilities can make a difference in the state’s economy and understanding the unique issues involved in hiring.

Hinson said employers’ fears about lost productivity, increased liability and the cost to accommodate disabled workers are misconceptions.

Ten employers this morning said their business is all the more for reaching out to this workforce, and that they, and their customers, would be less had they not.

 

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

Division of Economic Development

AspenTech Puts Down Roots in Nashua

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

Robert Mansperger and Zach Watson graduated from college and are at their new jobs at AspenTech in Nashua.

            We’re back from an event this morning that’s exciting on all kinds of fronts – a new company opening in Nashua; a new company opening in Nashua with 75 jobs; a new company opening in Nashua with 75 jobs being filled by just-out-of-college graduates.

            AspenTech, a software company that provides its product and services to the engineering, energy, chemical and construction industries, is now open at 100 Innovation Way, just off exit 1 of the Everett Turnpike – the city’s technology park.

            It’s a fitting location for AspenTech’s newest facility, which is for research and development, and it is populated by young adults, who earned degrees in chemical engineering and computer science from places like the University of New Hampshire; Boston College; Boston University; Carnegie Mellon; Cornell; MIT; Tufts … the list includes several more respected colleges and universities.

            The company’s corporate headquarters is located about 25 miles away, in Burlington, Mass., and decided to expand to New Hampshire, said CEO Mark Fusco, because “New Hampshire is a great place for a growing company to expand its footprint.”

            He also noted that the Granite State’s “low tax structure and business friendly attitude was an important factor in our decision to locate here.”

            Gov. John Lynch was on hand to welcome his friend, and his company, to New Hampshire. Their friendship goes back more than 25 years, to Harvard University, and has spanned years and pond hockey games.

            “AspenTech is bringing good, high-paying jobs to our state, which is great news for the local and state economy,” Lynch said.

            And more than that, a company that hires young people, like Robert Mansperger and Zach Watson, pictured above, is providing a fresh face and energy to Nashua– we definitely felt it on the tour of the facility today. (By the way, here’s the link for AspenTech’s career page … the company is not finished hiring).

            All in all, it was a great day.

             Welcome to New Hampshire!

Lorna Colquhoun

Communications Director

Division of Economic Development