The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, the City of Manchester, and the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority are pleased to announce expansion plans by one of New Hampshire’s largest employers and leader in its aerospace and defense industry.
BAE Systems is finalizing plans to occupy 3000 Goffs Falls Rd. to expand its operations. The 220,000-sf site, located off Brown Avenue, with close access to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Interstates 93 and 293, will enable the company to attract the talent it needs to initially fill 400 high-paying positions. The Manchester Mayor and Board of Aldermen will consider details on the proposed expansion.
“This is a great example of how working quickly and creatively with the business community can yield impressive results,” said Gov. Chris Sununu. “No income or sales tax, great schools, incredible natural beauty, ease of access to urban centers and a vibrant and dynamic workforce all contribute to there really being no better place to live, work and raise a family. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to meet the needs BAE Systems expansion efforts and bring more job opportunities to Granite Staters.”
Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said a collaborative effort with BAE Systems, the City of Manchester and the Business Finance Authority supported the needs of the company in making the decision to expand.
“There is no way we would have reached this point without deep collaboration among teams from our department, the City of Manchester, and the NH Business Finance Authority,” said Caswell. “Our ability to work as a team to help employers meet expansion or relocation goals is critical to what we offer as a state.”
The City of Manchester will continue its support of BAE Systems’ expansion, said Mayor Joyce Craig.
“I’m thrilled BAE Systems has chosen to expand here in Manchester,” she said. “Manchester is the economic hub for the state. This is the first time the City of Manchester, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs and the Business Finance Authority have worked together to bring new, good paying jobs into the Queen City. We now have a successful model, and I look forward to continue promoting Manchester’s pro-business environment.”
The New Hampshire Business Finance Authority understands the significance of BAE Systems to the state’s growing aerospace and defense industry, said Executive Director James Key Wallace.
“This partnership with BAE provides an exciting opportunity for Manchester and all of the communities supported by BAE’s significant presence in the state. Our innovative and collaborative approach to structuring this expansion shows that New Hampshire is able to attract world class companies who create high quality jobs,” he said.
For the second year in a row, a team from the Londonderry Middle School won the annual What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video contest and the $1,000 top prize.
The contest, coordinated by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership, pairs middle school students with local manufacturers for a look into the manufacturing process. Sponsors are BAE Systems and Hitchiner Manufacturing.
Gov. Chris Sununu announced the winning teams via video on Thursday morning.
“Advanced manufacturing is an important driver of our economy and it’s important for students to know what 21st century manufacturing looks like in New Hampshire,” Sununu said. “Over the past four years, the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video contest has introduced scores of middle school students around the state to the opportunities there are right here.”
The Londonderry team worked with BirdsEyeView Aerobotics of Andover to produce its video. Second place South Meadow School in Peterborough worked with Vicuña Chocolate; Winnisquam Regional Middle School in Tilton paired with Freudenberg NOK for its video and Kingswood Regional Middle School in Wolfeboro partnered with Crystal Geyser.
“New Hampshire’s economy is booming and advanced manufacturing contributes greatly to that,” said Commissioner Taylor Caswell of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “As the growth of this industry continues, we need to be sure students know that manufacturing offers them a rewarding career path.”
Gov. Sununu’s announcement and the winning videos can be seen on the Division of Economic Development’s 2018 What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video contest YouTube channel.
Small business owners from across New Hampshire will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one in two weeks with large government contractors, which, even at a time of budget cutbacks, still need goods and services provided to them.
The 2014 New Hampshire Small Business Matchmaker will run from 8:30 am to 4 pm, March 13, and is hosted by Rivier University in Nashua, with contributing support from BAE Systems, which is also an exhibitor. Over 30 prime contractors are expected, including the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the New Hampshire National Guard and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
“For businesses that have products and services the government needs and wants, it is always a good time to pursue a contract,” said David Pease, program manager for the New Hampshire Procurement Technical Assistance Program. “It is a particularly good time now if you have a product or service that can save money, while meeting an established need.”
Government purchasing is a $2 billion market in the state and the NH-PTAP assists about 900 companies, of all sizes, doing business with the government and agencies that are prime contractors for government.
“Matchmakers are very important to us,” said Susan King, the executive administrator of supplier diversity for BAE Systems, Electronic Systems, headquartered in Nashua, which sponsors more than 25 small business events around the country and spends about $400 million buying goods and services from small businesses. “It lets us meet face-to-face with small businesses and to talk with them about what they offer.”
The New Hampshire Small Business Matchmaker is the only one scheduled this year and Pease said it is a rare opportunity for businesses to meet with decision makers in one place, rather than spend time trying to connect with the right person. Government agencies need to purchase the same kinds of goods and services as private businesses do, Pease said. With its own set of goals, statutes and procedures that must be followed, government procurement can be an intimidating process to those who are new to it.
In addition to meeting with the prime contractors, businesses attending can network with others, meet with and get advice from a business mentor and attend information sessions.
Those interested in attending can register online at www.NHSBDC.org. The cost is $50 and includes lunch. For more information, call Heidi Edwards Dunn at the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center at 603-271-0417.
Bacteria beware – a new innovation from a New Hampshire company offers nearly a 100% solution for blocking bacteria from the body! Foss Manufacturing’s new surgical mask won top honors as the New Hampshire High Technology Council’s 2011 Product of the Year (POY).
The Foss Manufacturing team was honored for their accomplishments at last evening's NH High Tech Council 2011 Product of the Year event. Photo by Matt Lomanno.
Foss, a Hampton-based company that produces engineered, non-woven fabrics and specialty syntheticfibers won the 2011 POY award for the SpectraShield 9500 N95 Surgical Respirator Mask. The mask, which features Foss’ revolutionary Fosshield embedded antimicrobial technology, eliminates 99.99% of bacteria on the treated surface within one hour and certain strains of harmful bacteria on contact before they can enter the body.
At the 6th annual event held on November 14th, a large audience that included Governor John Lynch was on hand as the NHHTC honored the top five companies competing for the POY award with Judges Awards. Those five finalists were selected by the judges from a larger pool of candidates in October. The five displayed their products during a reception before the evening event, and then made seven-minute pitches as part of their effort to encourage the audience to vote for their product. The popular vote and previous judging by a panel of business and technology experts were equally weighed, and Foss Manufacturing took top honors for 2011.
Bill Hurst, VP of Business Development at Foss, said he was excited to present the SpectraShield at the POY banquet because, “it provides a unique opportunity to highlight this key breakthrough technology that has a distinct benefit for society.” Speaking about the SpectraShield Mask and Fosshield technology, Hurst said Foss’ focus is, “to not only provide but extend this technology for everyday use for us, our family members, in our clothing, when we travel – there is such a broad range of applications.”
The four other2011 finalists and Judge’s Award winners were iGlobe, Franklin; Integra, Hudson; Russound, Newmarket; and Scribe, Manchester.
The winner earned the prestigious NHHTC Product of the Year crystal trophy, which was designed by Pepi Hermann. The Foss Manufacturing name will be added to the trophy, and the trophy and an exhibit of the winning product will be on display and the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport for one year.
Companies that have won the Product of the Year award over the past five years were Nanocomp Technologies, UltraVision, Insight Tech Gear, Holase, Incorporated, and Sky-Skan. Major event sponsors include Dyn,Inc, FairPoint, Cook, Little, Rosenblatt & Manson PLLC, Hanover Insurance Group, Sadler Insurance Agency, New England Investment and Retirement, and BAE Systems. For more information go to www.nhhtc.org.
“Growth Through Collaboration” is the theme of the Ninth Annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit to be held Wednesday, December 7th from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Center of New Hampshire Radisson Hotel in Manchester.
Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Patriarch Partners, LLC will speak on “How to Save American Manufacturing” at the 9th Annual New Hampshire Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit on December 7th at the Center of New Hampshire Radisson Hotel in Manchester.
The annual event is presented by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the New Hampshire High Technology Council and will bring together state and national leaders of business and industry who, in thought-provoking presentations and workshops, will focus on how New Hampshire’s high tech and manufacturing industries can stimulate growth through collaboration.
“Manufacturing and high tech sectors continue to be very important to New Hampshire’s economy,” Gov. John Lynch said. “We have a successful economic strategy in place here in New Hampshire that has allowed us to be a national economic leader. That is why it is important we continue to work together to ensure we are making the right investments as a state to strengthen our economy for the future.”
Speakers at the summit will include Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Patriarch Partners, LLC; economist Dennis Delay of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies; and Roger Kilmer, Director of Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology. Tilton, whose company bought and reopened the former Fraser Papers paper mill in Gorham in May as Gorham Paper and Tissue, will speak on “How To Save American Manufacturing;” while “Smart Manufacturing/High Technology – NH’s Leading Economic Sector” will be the subject of Delay’s address. Kilmer, the keynote speaker at the summit luncheon, will address “Becoming a Next Generation Manufacturer.”
Three one-hour workshops will be offered concurrently and presented twice during the morning session by a panel of industry experts: “Supply Chain Development and Collaboration,” “Developing the Future Workforce in NH Advanced Manufacturing” and “Technology-Driven Market Intelligence.”
Sponsors for the event include Citizens Bank, BAE Systems, Chapter #327/Southern New Hampshire of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, New Hampshire Business Review, the New Hampshire Department of Education, Southern New Hampshire Chapter #253 of the Association for Operations Management, TradePort USA and the New Hampshire Machining Association.
Growth and sustainability is the theme of the 7th Annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology Summit scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 13th from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center.
Coordinated by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) and the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire and sponsored by Citizens Bank, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Association for Operations Management and New Hampshire Business Review, the summit will provide participants with tips for accelerating reliable growth in their businesses.
Morning speaker Beth Goldstein, author of The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit, will lead participants in an interactive discussion on the art of developing a powerful brand based on customers’ needs, spending patterns, pain points and the value they derive from your company.
Later workshops will center around the following subjects: “Case Studies on Lean Green and Energy” (Jay Fallon, Continuous Improvement Manager, BAE Systems and Art Christianson, Vice President of Manufacturing, High Liner Foods), “Growing Your International Business: Successful Export Growth Strategies” (Michael Stone, Stone & Associates, Dawn Wivell, Director, NH International Trade Resource Center and Justin Oslowski, Director, NH Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce), and “Introducing a System for Reliable Growth” (Patricia Giavara, Assistant Director and Growth Coach with the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center and Jane Ely, NH MEP Project Manager).
Keynote speaker Michael Reopel, Principal of Deloitte Consulting, will present the results of his report “Reexamining Advanced Manufacturing in a Networked World – Prospects for Resurgence in New England.” This report identified five subsectors within the New England manufacturing industry that are poised for growth, discussed the challenges that these industry subsectors face and identified the opportunities they provide for sustainable economic growth even during these difficult economic times.
The registration fee for the summit is $85 per participant; lunch is included. Interested parties can sign up online by visiting www.nhbia.org’s “Calendar” page and clicking on October 13th. For more information, call Zenagui Brahim or Cathy Doty at the NH MEP at (603) 226-3200.
Wow! That’s all I can say after yesterday’s NH Businesses for Social Responsibility 6th Annual Spring Conference. I’ve always enjoyed being around people who are doing the right thing for the right reasons and yesterday I was surrounded by business leaders who are truly making a positive difference in their communities. Here’s a brief write-up about the event. Special thanks to Kate Luczko at NHBSR for all of her background work and copywriting and to NHBSR Executive Director Molly Hodgson Smith for allowing me to serve on the board of this fantastic organization.
Hypertherm was named the 2009 Cornerstone Award winner by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) at NHBSR’s 6th Annual Spring Conference at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH.
“It’s entirely fitting that we are honoring Hypertherm at a conference that is celebrating sustainability and corporate citizenship,” said NHBSR Executive Director Molly Hodgson Smith. “With a corporate culture that focuses on care for the community and the environment, Hypertherm is a company that sets the pace in terms of ‘doing well by doing good.’”
Based in Hanover, this world class plasma cutting manufacturer consistently partners with organizations and engages in activities that strengthen and create sustainable, positive change in the communities and environment. The Hypertherm Owners’ Philanthropic Endeavors (HOPE) program fulfills the company’s commitment to share its success with the community. The program’s focus is on promoting the well-being of children and families by supporting organizations in the areas of arts and education, affordable housing, healthcare and the environment. Over the past several years, millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours have been donated to nonprofit organizations.
The four other finalists for this year’s Cornerstone Award were: Antioch University New England, BAE Systems, Electronics, Intelligence & Support, Stonyfield Farm and Simply Green Biofuels.
The NHBSR Cornerstone Award is presented every year at the NHBSR Spring Conference to a company, organization or individual that exemplifies the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and promotes the concepts of CSR to the greater business community within the state of New Hampshire.
This year’s NHBSR Spring Conference, titled “Sustainability – The New Frontier For Revenue Growth,” focused on how businesses can incorporate more sustainable practices in the workplace while saving resources and creating a return on investment.
The conference incorporated a variety of ‘green’ elements including carbon offset, recycling, minimizing waste and sustainable menu choices.
Additionally, the conference featured two prominent keynote speakers; Andrew Savitz, Author, The Triple Bottom Line: How Today’s Best-Run Companies Are Achieving Economic, Social and Environmental Success, and Dr. Tom Kelly, Director, Office of Sustainability, University of New Hampshire. It also featured numerous morning and afternoon educational breakout sessions, lunchtime CSR discussion circles, and a “Green Drinks” themed cocktail hour to end the day. To learn more about NHBSR, visit www.nhbsr.org.
– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director
Morning speaker Beth Goldstein, author of The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit, will lead participants in an interactive discussion on the art of developing a powerful brand based on customers’ needs, spending patterns, pain points and the value they derive from your company.