New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Director Will Arvelo gave the following remarks earlier this month during the celebration of Manufacturing Day Oct. 2 at Filtrine Manufacturing Co., in Keene.
Manufacturing Day 2020
Manufacturing Month is New Hampshire’s homage to its rich history of making products that enrich and adds convenience to our lives; gives us better ways to do things, and keeps us safe.
We don’t need to look any further than here, at Filtrine Manufacturing, where, for more than a century, the Hansel family evolved water filtration into modern systems. Along the way, the company set an example for other manufacturers, in reducing their carbon footprint and using Green processes wherever possible.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Hampshire manufacturing was about 70,000 strong; had an output of $10 billion, and represented about 12 percent of our GSP. While there may be a slight dip in those numbers today, I say with confidence that our manufacturers are on the comeback from the pandemic, with innovations and new ways of doing business, ready to shape the future.
One year ago, we could not imagine how much the world would change, and how much New Hampshire industries would make a difference in fighting a global pandemic. Hundreds of our manufacturers quickly pivoted to meet the critical demand in the uncertain early weeks last winter, retooling their production lines and training employees with the singular focus in mind – to keep their communities, and especially frontline workers, safe.
You’re invited to the 18th annual Governor’s Advanced Manufacturing and High Technology (Virtual) Summit Oct. 29 Keynote speaker: Douglas K. Woods, president, The Association for Manufacturing Technology, Manufacturing the Future: Transformative Technologies’ Role in Accelerating Out of the COVID Crisis Information, registration here.
Here in the Monadnock Region, Alene Candles in Milford made face shields; So-Clean in Peterborough made masks; Cole-Tac in Newport made gowns; distilleries and breweries around the state made hand sanitizer. There are too many to name in this short time, but each one of them has the gratitude of the Granite State for their dedication in adapting their systems to keep us all safe.
I urge everyone, when the opportunity arises, to thank their local manufacturers for all they do, and have done, over the past seven months to keep our communities, families, and frontline workers healthy and safe.
We know that most of our nearly 2,000 manufacturers, in all corners of the state, are on their way back to meet, or exceed, pre-pandemic levels of production. Your products are critical to bringing resiliency back to our supply chains.
We know that a trained workforce is critical now and reminds us that the future of manufacturing begins in our schools. We need to work with K-12 and higher education stakeholders to ensure that our future workforce will have the skills necessary to make New Hampshire the shining star of manufacturing in the Northeast.
As we celebrate National Manufacturing Day, and kick off New Hampshire Manufacturing Month, I want to thank all manufacturers for all you do. You are the backbone of our economy, significant employers in our communities, and neighbors we can count on in any situation.
Communities and organizations across six rural New Hampshire counties will share $4.4 million in federal funds awarded by the Northern Border Regional Commission.
“The $4.4 million in awards to New Hampshire by the Northern Border Regional Commission are critical not only to the projects they fund, but to the infrastructure they’ll help strengthen, the jobs they will create, and the communities across the Granite State that will benefit from this investment,” said Gov. Chris Sununu.
Created by the US Congress in 2008, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership working to alleviate economic challenges in northern counties across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, projects are eligible for the Economic and Infrastructure Development Investment program in all, or portions of, Belknap; Carroll; Cheshire; Coos; Grafton, and Sullivan Counties.
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs works with communities and organizations throughout the year on projects that are eligible for the grants.
“This program fills a major funding gap for a lot of rural communities,” said BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell. “NBRC resources enable those communities to move forward on infrastructure, education, training, and community investments that attract companies and families.”
The following projects received awards:
FIRST New Hampshire, $113,130, to work with North Country schools and businesses to start robotic programs that will help students develop STEM skills;
Hannah Grimes Center, Inc., Keene, $315,298, to advance its entrepreneurial programs and develop its Radically Rural Summit into a self-sustaining event and create a year-round institute;
Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc. DBA Lakes Region Community Developers, Belmont, $350,000, to support the Gale School redevelopment project, which expands childcare and creates jobs;
Mascoma Valley Preservation, Grafton, $315,000 to convert the Grafton Center Meetinghouse in to a marketplace and event center;
Monadnock Economic Development Corp., Keene, $1 million to the Keene State College Business Partnership Hub, which will deliver advanced education and training;
New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services/Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission, Laconia, $1 million to complete phase I of the redevelopment master plan involving road, water, sewer, and telecommunication infrastructure;
Sunapee Heritage Alliance, $350,000, to repair the historic livery building and establish non-profit ownership to make it available for community use and programming;
Town of Jaffrey, $1 million to connect three wells and construct a water treatment facility and water distribution system.
The
Northern Border Regional Commission’s 2020 Economic and Infrastructure
Development Grant materials are now available. Eligible organizations, which
include nonprofit and government entities, with projects located in Carroll,
Cheshire, Coos, and Sullivan and parts of Belknap and Grafton Counties, are
eligible to apply.
“This
Northern Border Regional Commission grant program is geared toward projects
that strengthen infrastructure and promote economic development,” said Taylor
Caswell, commissioner of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs.
An information session will be held from 10 – 11:30 am, March 12 at the Plymouth Town Offices, 6 Post Office Square, Plymouth. Proposals will be accepted for projects related to transportation, telecommunication, renewable energy and basic public infrastructure; business and workforce development; basic health care; and resource conservation, tourism and recreation.
The
commission, created by Congress in 2008, provides funding for projects in rural
counties across northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The application materials are available at nbrc.gov.
In
2019, the NBRC awarded 14 grants in New Hampshire totaling over $3.7 million
and leveraged over $2.5 million in other funds to complete projects. Projects funded in the last round include the
expansion of a culinary workforce development project to support the
hospitality industry; a road reconstruction project that supports the
redevelopment of a mill building; and several water projects that support
existing businesses and business development.
The
deadline for submitting applications is May 15. For more information about the
grant program, contact Mollie Kaylor at the New Hampshire Department of
Business and Economic Affairs at 271-6305 or mollie.kaylor@livefree.nh.gov.
Applications for the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Economic and Infrastructure Development Investment Program are now available. The recent reauthorization of NBRC expands the service area for eligible projects in all or parts Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan Counties.
Created in 2008, the NBRC is a federal-state partnership for economic and community development in New York, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.
The state EID investment program awards grants up to $500,000 for infrastructure projects and $250,000 for other eligible projects. The application deadline is May 10.
Three information sessions regarding the state EID Investment Program are planned across the state this month:
2 – 4 pm, March 11; Cheshire County Courthouse, 12 Court St., Keene
10 am – noon, March 12; Mountain View Grand, 10 Mountain Rd., Whitefield
1 – 3 pm, March 22; Lakes Region Community College, 379 Belmont Rd., Laconia
Proposals will be accepted for projects related to transportation, telecommunication and basic public infrastructure; workforce development; entrepreneurship, technology, or business development; resource conservation, tourism and recreation, or publicly owned renewable energy development, and projects for basic health care and other public services.
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs will coordinate applications for the state. When the rankings are complete, Gov. Chris Sununu will put forward the priority projects to the commission.
In 2018, the NRBC awarded 15 grants in New Hampshire, totaling over $2.8 million to projects in Berlin, Bristol, Canaan, Enfield, Laconia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Littleton, Lyme, North Conway, Plymouth, Whitefield and Wolfeboro.
An additional $7 million is also available through NBRC’s new Regional Forest Economy Partnership. This funding opportunity is aimed at revitalizing communities affected by declines in the forest products industry. Eligible applicants may be invited to apply for up to $1 million if they are able to demonstrate that any one of four criteria are met: an industry change in employment due to a decline of the forest industry, a wage reduction in the project area, a mill or forest-based manufacturer closing in the past 20 years, or county population loss. The NBRC encourages applications that have a multi-state benefit.
For more information about applying for the grant programs, contact Mollie Kaylor at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development at 271-6305 or mollie.kaylor@livefree.nh.gov. The application is available at http://nbrc.gov/.
Applications are now available for the next round of Northern Border Regional Commission grants.
Applications are now available for the next round of grants available from the Northern Border Regional Commission for projects strengthening infrastructure and promoting economic development in four rural New Hampshire counties.
Information sessions will be held from 1 – 3 pm, March 6 at the Enterprise Center at Plymouth, 1 Bridge St., Plymouth. The deadline for submitting applications is May 11.
The commission, created by Congress 10 years ago, provides funding for projects in 36 rural counties across northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. In New Hampshire, agencies and organizations in Carroll, Coos, Grafton and Sullivan Counties can apply.
Proposals will be accepted for projects related to transportation, telecommunication and basic public infrastructure; workforce development; entrepreneurship, technology, or business development; resource conservation, tourism and recreation, or publicly owned renewable energy development, and projects for basic health care and other public services.
The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs will coordinate applications for the state. When the rankings are complete, Gov. Chris Sununu will put forward the priority projects to the commission.
In 2017, the NRBC awarded 13 grants in New Hampshire, totaling over $2.2 million to projects in Bethlehem, Claremont, Colebrook, Conway, Cornish, Lancaster, Littleton, Lyme, Rumney, Wolfeboro and Whitefield.
For more information about applying for the grant program, contact Mollie Kaylor at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development at 271-6305 or mollie.kaylor@livefree.nh.gov. The application is available at http://nbrc.gov/.
The Executive Council on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Will Arvelo as the next director of the Division of Economic Development.
“Will Arvelo’s unanimous confirmation today to lead the Division of Economic Development is great news for New Hampshire,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “From his steadfast leadership at Great Bay Community College to his impressive community resume, there is no better choice to lead New Hampshire’s Division of Economic Development than Will Arvelo. Will’s enthusiasm and passion for the Granite State is evident, and I am confident that he will continue to ensure that New Hampshire remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Arvelo is president of Great Bay Community College, a position he has held for 11 years. He is credited with guiding the college through a period of growth, which included moving the college from Stratham to the Pease International Tradeport and development of the Advanced Technology & Academic Center in Rochester.
“At a time when workforce development and talent attraction are the most crucial needs of our expanding economy, having someone with Will’s experience will be a game changer,” said Commissioner Taylor Caswell of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs. “This new department now has a leadership team in place to dramatically enhance our ability to work with New Hampshire’s communities and businesses to meet their needs and continue to advance a sustainable economy that is accessible for all Granite Staters.”
A few weeks ago, Will Stewart, president of the Greater Derry-Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, caught us up on a few things happening in the region that are adding some extra horsepower to its economic engine.
The first is the debut about a month ago of the Derry-Londonderry Beer and Mead Tour rack card that spills the secret on a growing industry, made up of four breweries – 603 Brewery (Londonderry); From the Barrel Brewery (Londonderry); Kelsen Brewing Company (Derry); Rockingham Brewing Company (Derry) and Moonlight Meadery (Londonderry).
With all these places located less than two miles off I-93, the tour targets travelers interested in brews and meads, who may then do some shopping or stop to eat locally before heading on their journeys.
Check out the story
The other effort gaining momentum and seeing some great return is, as Will described, “bicycle-related economic development.”
It involves the Londonderry-Derry-Windham sections of the Granite State Rail Trail (the former Manchester and Lawrence line of the old Boston & Maine Railroad).
“Shop and restaurant owners located near the trail tell me that it’s a big draw, attracting people from Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, that has a very real impact on their bottom lines,” he said.
Southern New Hampshire is a hotspot for commerce and manufacturing. Things like a bike trail, breweries and a meadery help create a dimension to a community, providing places to gather, explore, appreciate and of which to be very proud.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
Division of Economic Development
New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Roy Duddy was recently featured on Comcast’s Newsmakers program providing an overview of the resources available to entrepreneurs and small businesses in the state through the MyExpertNet initiative.
Host Jenny Johnson and Duddy discussed the many inquiries that are flowing into the site and how the new site is providing 24-hour access to experts for budding entrepreneurs, CEOs of existing companies and line workers alike. Duddy noted that technical assistance and resources needed to be computerized for better, more efficient support of these business professionals, and that it can be confusing to search for solutions on the Internet when you don’t know who to trust. So the state pre-qualified volunteers who would serve as experts on a wide array of topics and industry areas, to give expert answers that help people through their decision processes.
Go to http://www.MyExpertNet.org to connect with the expert business help you need, all free of charge. MyExpertnet was developed by the NH-based Knowledge Institute, in partnership with Comcast, the NH Division of Economic Development, PSNH, Unitil, and Centrix Bank.
