Governor John Lynch unveils the partnership between the State of New Hampshire and MFG.com.
The State is partnering with MFG.com, the largest global sourcing marketplace for the manufacturing industry, for this first-of-its- kind partnership. The unveiling took place at Burndy LLC, an electronic components manufacturer in Londonderry. Alan Beck, Burndy LLC Vice President of Application Tooling, made the suggestion for a better way for New Hampshire businesses to connect during the Manchester Jobs Cabinet Roundtable.
Gov. John Lynch joined representatives of several Granite State manufacturing firms and state economic development officials in unveiling the new site.
During Gov. Lynch’s Jobs Cabinet Roundtables last year, the Governor heard from business leaders who said it is a challenge for them to easily identify New Hampshire suppliers. A number of companies expressed a desire to contract with New Hampshire suppliers when at all possible rather than contracting out of state. The New Hampshire Division of Economic Development worked with MFG.com to develop this new Web site.
“We want to make it easier for New Hampshire businesses to support and work with other New Hampshire companies. That will help our businesses grow and create jobs here in the Granite State,” Gov. Lynch said. The more New Hampshire manufacturers can work with other New Hampshire companies, the stronger our economy will be.”
As part of the partnership, local companies registered on a special “New Hampshire only” page on MFG.com, will be able to purchase goods and services from each other, creating a heightened awareness of resources within the state.
MFG.Com Senior Vice President Adam Oaks describes the many services that his company provides to the manufacturing community.
Adam Oaks, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MFG.com, stated that he believes this new partnership will open new doors for New Hampshire suppliers and buyers to engage in locally-based matchmaking.
“We are extremely excited to be part of this initiative that essentially enables the local New Hampshire manufacturing community,” he said. “The sourcing portal will effectively promote economic development within New Hampshire through intelligently connecting local manufacturing buyers and suppliers at the exact moment they need each other.”
The link for the specially designed page will be housed on NHEconomy.com, the State’s economic development Web site. Those suppliers who complete a registration for the MFG.com service through the New Hampshire landing page will receive an optimized profile, Atlas listing and projects from all Granite State buyers for $99 a month. Buyers registering via the landing page will have access to the New Hampshire information for free.
“What a wonderful way to stimulate commerce and build new relationships among New Hampshire manufacturers and prospective buyers,” said New Hampshire Department of Resources & Economic Development Director George Bald. “This first-in-the-nation pilot program gives our state an incredible edge as we further develop and strengthen our manufacturing sector.”
“A local supply base can provide a very competitive advantage particularly for developing new product and processes,” added Alan Beck, Burndy LLC Vice President of Application Tooling. Burndy has offered high quality, competitively priced connectors, wiring accessories and installation tooling that have solved connection problems for over 85 years. “The application that the Division of Economic Development and MFG.com have facilitated was created expressly for New Hampshire businesses and is a powerful tool that allows companies to easily find the core competencies that exist locally. This will create healthier businesses and a stronger local economy.”
“The New Hampshire page is of tremendous value to Granite State manufacturers,” Zenagui Brahim, director of operations for the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) said. “By giving us a new and innovative addition to our toolkit, we have improved the prospects for all engaged in this vital industry.”
A recent New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies report sponsored by the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire High Tech Council noted that Smart Manufacturing/High Technology (SMHT) is the single largest sector of New Hampshire’s economy (19 percent). In 2009 alone, the SMHT sector encompassed 3,700 New Hampshire companies employing almost 80,000 people and paying out $6.4 billion in wages and benefits. Exports from the state’s manufacturers directly support more than 77,000 jobs, compared to about 52,000 jobs in travel and tourism.
The “New Hampshire only” MFG.com page can be accessed at www.mfg.com/nheconomy.
About MFG.com
MFG.com is the largest global sourcing marketplace for the manufacturing industry. MFG.com’s platform enables companies to intelligently connect, source, collaborate and perform due diligence with transparency and intellectual property protection. It supports virtually all manufacturing process and industrial components, is in seven major languages, more than 50 currencies and has more than 200,000 members on five continents. MFG.com is based in Atlanta and has offices in Shanghai and Paris. For more information: www.MFG.com.
Tags: Alan Beck, Burndy LLC, Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, Job Cabinet Roundtable, MFG.com, New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, New Hampshire Department of Resources & Economic Development, New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, New Hampshire High Tech Council, New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership, nheconomy.com, Zenagui Brahim