Check here frequently for the latest business and economic development headlines from Upstate New York. To submit a link to a business or economic development story from your area click here.
July 1, 2010 - NY Loves CleanTeach – The future of American-made vehicles to take place in Central New York
Designer Van DiBernardo has Multiple Sclerosis and as a result he has a hard time in hot weather. So he designed a vest, it's a cooling garment that he hopes becomes one of the hottest ideas at this year's Buffalo-Niagara Investor High Tech Forum. Complete Story.
June 25, 2010 - YNN – High tech forum hopes to improve economy
Designer Van DiBernardo has Multiple Sclerosis and as a result he has a hard time in hot weather. So he designed a vest, it's a cooling garment that he hopes becomes one of the hottest ideas at this year's Buffalo-Niagara Investor High Tech Forum. Complete Story.
June 25, 2010 - Brookings, Metro Monitor– Employment
The maps below display changes in employment for each of the 100 largest metro areas from: (a) the metro area’s peak employment quarter to the most recent quarter, measuring the extent to which employment has recovered from the recession’s full impact; and (b) the previous quarter to the most recent quarter, measuring whether employment is moving toward recovery.
June 25, 2010 - Brookings, Metro Monitor – Unemployment Rate
The maps below display, for the 100 largest metro areas, the: (a) percentage of the labor force that is currently unemployed (not seasonally adjusted) in the last month of the most recent quarter; (b) change in the unemployment rate from the same month three years ago; and (c) change in the unemployment rate from the same month in the previous year (the same month is used in change calculations to account for seasonality).
June 25, 2010 - Brookings, Metro Monitor – Overall Performance
The map below classifies the 100 largest metro areas into 5 categories (quintiles), based on their average rank across a series of four indicators: employment change from peak; unemployment rate change from one year ago; gross metropolitan product change from peak; and housing price index change from one year ago.
June 16, 2010 - Dayton Daily News – Dayton metro area gets 9th worst ranking in U.S.
Of the 21 metro areas in the Great Lakes region, four — Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y., along with Madison, Wis. and Des Moines, Iowa — were in the top 20 nationwide in economic performance for the first three months of 2010.
“These are not home to headquarters of Microsoft, or the big, shiny, next-economy industries,” Bradley said. “So what did Rochester and Buffalo and Syracuse do? What enabled them to make a transition to a healthier, more balanced economy that’s not so prone to recession?” Complete story.
June 14, 2010 - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle – NY high-speed rail gets a boost
New York state and the CSX railroad have set aside differences so that planning can go forward for a high-speed rail line across upstate New York. Complete story.
June 7, 2010 - Post-Standard – Upstate New York cities fare well as a place to raise children
Northeast cities in general -- and Upstate New York cities specifically -- fared very well in a Forbes list of the Top 10 cities to raise a family. Four New York cities, including Syracuse, made the list. Complete story.
June 2, 2010 - Media Newswire– Speaker Silver Joins Officials To Celebrate Opening Of Beech-Nut Facility And Hero Group's North American Headquarters In Upstate New York
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today joined leaders from Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation and Hero Group, and elected officials to celebrate the opening of a new manufacturing and processing facility in upstate New York. It also will serve as the Hero Group's North American headquarters.
The 600,000-square-foot plant, located in Florida, about 35 miles west of Albany, is the first LEED-certified infant food plant in the United States, and employs 491 people. With the Assembly's continued financial support, the company decided to relocate their headquarters here from St. Louis, Mo., creating 135 new jobs. Complete story.
June 1, 2010 - TMCnet – Mobile VoIP - Verizon Wireless Opts for Network Expansion in Wyoming County
Wireless is investing in Wyoming County and expanding its local coverage. The coverage and capacity along Route 78 from Minkel Road to Pit Road and in the Village of Java is improved by the new site. The network expansion is part of the company's aggressive multi-billion dollar network investment. Each year, this investment is made by the company to stay ahead of the growing demand for Verizon Wireless' voice and data services. Since its foundation, more than $50 billion has been invested by the company, nationwide, $5.5 billion on average every year. Also, in Upstate New York in 2009, the company invested more than $100 million.
Complete story.
June 1, 2010 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek – Globalfoundries to Spend $3 Billion-Plus on Expansion
Globalfoundries Inc., seeking to challenge Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in the made-to- order chip market, will spend more than $3 billion to boost production at its factories in New York and Germany.
The company will increase the size of a new plant in upstate New York and add a production line to existing factories in Dresden, Germany, said Chief Executive Officer Doug Grose. The investment is in addition to the $6 billion already promised by the company’s owners, he said. Complete story.
June 1, 2010 - Buffalo News Editorials – Power for Jobs plan improves
Lawmakers in Albany appear to be coalescing around a bill that would renew and reform the state Power for Jobs program while ensuring that upstate’s legitimate interests are protected. It is a significant improvement from the previous effort. Complete story.
May 27, 2010 - CNN Money– Most affordable cities to buy a house - Third place: Syracuse, N.Y.
Median home price: $95,000,
Median income: $64,300,
Affordability score: 94.5%
A newcomer to the list, Syracuse is one of the many Upstate New York cities that grew up along the route of the Erie Canal, which made them wealthy. Syracuse's importance as a transportation hub continues to this day, with two major interstates crossing here. Complete story.
May 26, 2010 - Green Technology – Ice Energy and Mercury Corporation Team Up, Give Boost to Upstate New York Job Market
The nation is making transition from aging electricity infrastructure to a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable power grid system. Among a few companies that are helping in this transition, Ice Energy is definitely a major one. Since 2003, the company has been providing advanced energy storage and smart grid solutions to the electric utility industry. The company is dedicated to transforming energy system efficiency and improving grid reliability through it suit of advanced solutions. The company’s Ice Bear energy storage systems are high in demand and Ice Energy in a bid to meet growing backlog for this solution, Ice Energy seeks to expand its manufacturing capacity. To this end, it has teamed up with Hammondsport, New York based Mercury Corporation. The partnership is expected to enhance the Ice Energy’s manufacturing capacity. Complete story.
May 25, 2010 - PR-USA – Ice Energy Brings New Clean Energy Manufacturing Jobs to Upstate Ice Energy, a leading provider of smart grid-enabled advanced energy storage solutions to the electric utility industry, today announced a partnership with Mercury Corporation of Hammondsport, New York to expand the company's manufacturing capacity to meet growing backlog for its Ice Bear energy storage systems. Complete story.
May 21, 2010 - Business First – Lending climate sunny for small biz, area banks say In town last week, Obama talked about government-sponsored lending initiatives for small businesses and pushed for more funding sources. He said banks “shrunk from lending” during the financial crisis. Area banks, particularly smaller community banks, say it isn’t so. They argue that during the worst downturn in decades, they continue to lend to small businesses. Complete story.
May 21, 2010 - Times Union – Local jobless picture better Addition of nearly 4,500 positions in April reduces unemployment to 6.5 percent. The Capital Region job market is improving as private employers become more willing to hire, a sign the local economy is turning a corner and advancing toward recovery. Complete story.
May 19, 2010 - Clean Tech NY – Emerging clean tech firms profiled at SmartStart UNYTEC Coordinated by the Albany-based Center for Economic Growth, the welcoming sponsors for the event were the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity, The Tech Garden, The Clean Tech Center and SATOP. CenterState CEO Chairperson Susan ... Corporation for Economic Opportunity. “The Tech Garden's partnership with SmartStart UNYTECH and the CEG is helping build an innovation infrastructure across Upstate New York that is launching new technologies and businesses. Complete story.
May 18, 2010 - WSTM NBC3 – Permanent fix for Power for Jobs program Governor David A. Paterson, Senate Majority Conference Leader John Sampson, Senate Energy Chair George Maziarz and Senate Energy Vice Chair Darrel Aubertine today announced that they have reached an agreement to create a permanent Power for Jobs program that will be called Energize New York. Complete story.
May 18, 2010 - Syracuse.com – What's the 'green' consumer thinking? Syracuse's Earthsense knows The applied research company started out in 2007 with two people, founders Wendy Cobrda and Amy Hebard, and one big idea: to gather mountains of information about consumers and their buying habits and use it to persuade companies that there’s value in going “green.” Complete story.
May 16, 2010 - Electronic Industry – Wind Power– New York One of the places in the United States with the highest energy consumption is New York. With the largest cities in the country, New York City, based here, and a large population of families – New York is in constantState Economic and find new ways to provide the energy for residents. A new way that the state seeks to meet these needs through wind energy, the fastest growing in New York for the production of electricity. Complete story.
May 10, 2010 - Media Newswire – New Companies at Saratoga Technology + Energy Park® Signal Growth of Region's Clean Energy Economy State and federal officials Monday called recent business expansions at the Saratoga Technology + Energy Park ( STEP® ) a sign of continued strength in the region’s clean energy economy. In the last six months, four companies have located their operations and three have expanded their operations at STEP, which is owned by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ( NYSERDA ). In total, there are now 11 clean energy and environmental technology companies in STEP’s facilities in addition to the recently-inaugurated TEC-SMART ( Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies ), Hudson Valley Community College’s premier green technology training facility. Complete story.
May 06, 2010 - Reuters – Obama to speak on economy in Buffalo, NY, May 13 U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Buffalo, New York, next week to discuss the economy, the White House said on Thursday, as he continues his campaign to convince Americans he can ease their economic woes. Complete story.
May 06, 2010 - Times Union – CEG will host talks on technology economy The Center for Economic Growth will host a series of meetings next week throughout the Capital Region to discuss the growth of the local technology economy as GlobalFoundries builds its $4.2 billion computer chip factory in Malta. Complete story.
May 04, 2010 - Buffalo News –The future looks good for area factories The economy isn’t booming by any means, but business is picking up for Western New York’s long-beleaguered manufacturers. A key index that measures manufacturing output in the Buffalo Niagara region increased in April for the fourth straight month and, even better, the pace of the growth accelerated. Complete story.
April 27, 2010 - Governor Paterson Press Release – Governor Paterson Announces GM to Invest $400 Million in Tonawanda Powertrain; 713 Jobs Created or Retained Governor David A. Paterson today announced that General Motors (GM) has chosen the Tonawanda Engine plant to invest $400 million and add 713 jobs to produce a new generation of fuel efficient small block truck and car engines.
“Today’s announcement is vital to Western New York’s automobile industry and to New York manufacturing as a whole, and demonstrates GM’s confidence in our State,” Governor Paterson said. “This is a major investment in the region’s economy and ensures the long-term future of the Tonawanda engine plant. As always, we will maintain ongoing dialogue with GM regarding its numerous New York State operations.” Complete story.
April 26, 2010 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek– First Niagara 1Q net income up 80 percent First Niagara Financial Group Inc. said profit rose nearly 80 percent in the first quarter as interest income growth more than compensated for higher loan-loss provisions.The company reported net income of $28.9 million, or 16 cents per share, compared with $16.1 million, or 14 cents per share a year ago. Complete story.
April 25, 2010 - BNET – Buffalo economy compares well This is a column I delight in writing because for once the news about the area's economy is better than it has been for some time. That doesn't mean that we're in good shape and are flourishing, but for once in a long while we are not trailing the rest of the nation. It's hard to believe, but the regional economist for the Federal Reserve Bank, who has no reason to paint a rosy picture, says that the Buffalo Niagara region recession, while painful, has been significantly milder than it has been in the rest of the country. That is a rarity and something we all need to relish. Complete story.
April 17, 2010 - Buffalo News – Brian Higgins: Reform gives new hope for cancer, economic cures Apart of the health care reform story that has received little attention is the impact on cancer research and treatment, which holds tremendous economic promise for Western New York in particular. In 1898, Buffalo brought cancer research to the world. Roswell Park was the nation’s first comprehensive cancer center, and we have been a national leader ever since. The Affordable Care Act, which became law in March, contains several important reforms that will result in unprecedented levels of support for the thriving community of cancer researchers and doctors in Western New York. Complete story.
April 16, 2010 - Builder – Home buyer tax credits boost pending sales in Buffalo The federal homebuyer tax credits are bringing buyers and sellers out in droves, as pending home sales in March rose 20 percent from a year ago, while new listings jumped 49 percent. The latest figures from the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors indicate that 975 homes were under a sales contract and awaiting closing in March, up from 815 a year ago. Complete story.
April 16, 2010 - New Jersey Business News – GlaxoSmithKline to move plant out of Clifton to N.Y. Several months after it received permission to expand a toothpaste factory in Clifton, a British pharmaceutical company said it will leave the Passaic County town — costing 270 New Jerseyans their jobs. "We were rather caught by surprise," Clifton City Manager Al Greco said of the announcement by London-based GlaxoSmithKline. "They just spent a year going through the planning board to get some expansions approved." Glaxo said it will be transfer production of its Aquafresh and Sensodyne brands to upstate New York over the next three years. A spokeswoman said the move was based on "constraints" at the 60-year-old New Jersey plant. Complete story.
April 16, 2010 - Area Development Online – Northern Architectural Systems Opens Upstate New York Plant Northern Architectural Systems opened a new, 50,000-square-foot facility yesterday in Johnstown, New York, creating 50 jobs. Parent company Northern Building Products expanded their operations of the wall systems subsidiary due to economic incentives and the opportunity to manufacture goods for a growing number of buildings in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region seeking LEED certification.
Complete story.
April 16, 2010 - WNED – Lower Unemployment Rates Reported in WNY The local economy is showing some positive signs, most notably a dip in the unemployment rate to 8.6 percent in the month of March. That number is both an improvement on the February number, which was 9.2 percent, and from last March, when the rate stood at 8.8 percent. Complete story.
April 13, 2010 - Business Review – SUNY chancellor outlines plan to reinvigorate NY economy The State University of New York released a new strategic plan today that seeks to revitalize the economy through entrepreneurship programs, improved training for teachers in poor areas and by placing more attention on health care. SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher outlined details of the strategic plan in New York City today and is scheduled to make a similar announcement at The Egg in Albany on Wednesday. Complete story.
April 11, 2010 - Times Union – Power (bill) to the people ew York's energy equipment is old -- and the bill to replace it is about to come due. As National Grid executives make their pitch to state regulators to raise electric rates for consumers and businesses, they keep stressing the same thing: they have waited long enough to put money back into their aging transmission and distribution system, and it's now time to take care of it. The British energy company says it has spent $750 million on its electric hardware in upstate New York over the past eight years without asking customers to share the burden. Complete story.
April 7, 2010 - Electric Light & Power – National Grid Smart Grid Pilot to Advance Efficiency, Give Customers More Control National Grid has proposed a comprehensive smart grid demonstration program that will serve as a test site for the energy grid of the future and provide a more holistic look at smart grid technology available today. That’s right. This pilot is about more than just smart meters. Complete story.
April 7, 2010 - Buffalo News – Surge boosts 'loonie' to overtake U.S. dollar John Ecklund loves to see a strong Canadian dollar. And Ecklund, the general manager of Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga, had plenty to smile about Tuesday, when, for the first time since July 2008, the Canadian dollar was worth a fraction of a penny more than the U.S. dollar. Complete story.
April 2, 2010 - Business First of Buffalo – National Grid plugs into WNY economy The way Dennis Elsenbeck sees it, his company, National Grid, wants to be part of the solution, not the problem. That’s why National Grid last year offered $6.9 million in support of a variety of Upstate development projects and is pegging another $9 million this year for worthy efforts.
“Our goal is to be an instrument of momentum and not a bystander of momentum,” Elsenbeck said. Complete story.
March 30, 2010 - All Business – 4 cities least hurt by recession: Minneapolis, Buffalo, Oklahoma City, Rochester Call them the Final Four: The four large cities that have made it through the Great Recession with the smallest increases in unemployment. Minneapolis, Buffalo, Oklahoma City and Rochester, N.Y., don't have much else in common. But a government report shows they've had the smallest increases in joblessness over the past two years among cities with at least 1 million people. Complete story.
March 30, 2010 - Roc Now – U.S. funds upstate journalism center A new, federally funded program will create a Local Journalism Center in Upstate New York that will focus on providing in-depth news reports on innovative technology and its role in rebuilding upstate New York’s economy. Five public broadcasting stations, including WXXI Public Broadcasting and stations in Buffalo, Oswego/Syracuse, Binghamton and Albany will partner in the initiative, which will be paid for by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a nonprofit group created and funded by Congress. Complete story.
March 29, 2010 - PC Magazine – GlobalFoundries: Will Upstate New York Be The Next Silicon Valley? As I visited the GlobalFoundries facility in Saratoga County, New York, one of the questions I had was why the company chose upstate New York. Complete story.
March 29, 2010 - Watertown Daily Times – Competition to highlight green endeavors in CNY New York's Creative Core will highlight Central Upstate New York's greenest endeavors through a competition. The "Green of the Crop" competition will have categories for businesses, educational and community organizations, individuals and households, and inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs. Complete story.
March 27, 2010 - Times Union –Capital Region has reason for optimism about post-recession recovery In the wake of the nationwide recession it's rare to hear the words "economic outlook" and "good news" in the same sentence, but economists and other experts are finally speaking in those terms -- at least about the Capital Region. Complete story.
March 25, 2010 - Times Union – Some encouraging signs in region’s job market The unemployment rate remained at a two-decade high in the Capital Region in February, the state Labor Department reported today. But trends are beginning to turn positive, according to state labor markets analyst James Ross.
“We’ve been seeing the job losses narrow for a while,” he said this afternoon. And while data aren’t seasonally adjusted, there appears to be a gain in jobs from January to February. On average, Ross, said, the region sees an uptick of 3,600 jobs from January to February. This year, the gain was 4,700 jobs, a figure that was last reached in 2002, when another recession was ending. Complete story.
March 25, 2010 - CityBizList – Venture-Backed Mezmeriz Raises $2M of $2.5M in Equity Financing According to an SEC filing, Mezmeriz Inc. raised $2 million of a $2.5 million in equity financing from 12 investors. Mezmeriz, Inc. is a developer of wide-angle projectors designed to fit into mobile phones, smartphones, laptops, and video players. The Ithaca, New York-based firm was formed in 2002. Complete story.
March 19, 2010 - Read Media – Clarkson University President Tony Collins Elected to Board of New York State Smart Grid Consortium Clarkson University President Tony Collins has been elected to the board of directors of the New York State Smart Grid Consortium. Clarkson is a member of the consortium, which is a not-for-profit, public service partnership founded to promote broad statewide implementation of a safe, secure and reliable smart electric power grid. Complete story.
March 19, 2010 - Business Insider – And Now, Here Are The 20 Cities That Are Having An Awesome Recovery Four Upstate New York Cities, Albany (#15), Buffalo (#7), Syracuse (#5), and Rochester (#2) rank among to top 20 cities in the country regarding economic recovery. Complete story.
March 18, 2010 - Business Insider – What's So Great About Upstate New York? There must be something about the clean air north of New York City, because yet another law school is charting double digit increases in applications in upstate NY. Complete story.
March 18, 2010 - SustainableBusiness.com – New York Commits $100M to Improve Energy Efficiency of Data Centers Over the next two years, New York State will provide over $100 million through its Industrial and Process Efficiency program to help data centers and manufacturers control their energy costs and improve their competitiveness. Complete story.
March 18, 2010 - NanoWerk – NYSERDA announces $1.5 million award to establish clean energy business incubator program at UAlbany NanoCollege The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is providing $1.5 million to establish a clean energy incubator program at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany that will help growing companies develop and commercialize clean energy technologies and create jobs in the Tech Valley, it was announced today at the UAlbany NanoCollege. Complete story.
March 17, 2010 - WKTV Utica – Federal Economist: Recession not as bad upstate as rest of nation The economic recession that devastated the U.S. was less crippling to upstate New York than the rest of the state and region, according to a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Complete story.
March 17, 2010 - Sign On San Diego –Improving economic signs seen for county In its quarterly MetroMonitor evaluation of the country’s 100 biggest metropolitan areas, Brookings ranked San Diego No. 55 in overall performance, sandwiched between Salt Lake City and Scranton, Pa. The three strongest-performing areas were Albany, N.Y.; Augusta, Ga.; and Austin, Texas. The lowest were Boise, Idaho, and Bradenton and Cape Coral, Fla. Complete story.
March 16, 2010 - The Business Review – NYSERDA commits $100M to energy efficiency New York’s businesses will be able to tap into $100 million in funds to improve the energy efficiency of their manufacturing facilities and data centers. Albany-based CHA is one of three engineering firms that will receive $2 million each to help companies identify cost-effective measures and educate them on the funding that is available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the nonprofit that administers state energy programs. The two other engineering firms, Energy & Resource Solutions and Willdan Energy Solutions, are in New York City. Complete story.
March 16, 2010 - Nano Techwire – NYSERDA Commits $8 million to Develop and Commercialize 19 New York Battery and Energy-Storage Technology Projects The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced that it will award $8 million to help develop or commercialize 19 cutting-edge energy storage projects that will strengthen New York’s standing as a national leader in the energy storage industry and help build New York’s clean energy economy for the future. Complete story.
March 11, 2010 - WYSR – Chamber of Commerce hands out Business of the Year awards The Convention Center at Oncenter was packed Thursday evening for the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce's annual Business of the Year Awards. Over 600 people attended.
Complete story.
March 11, 2010 - The Street – Global Partners Announces Ethanol Expansion Initiative With Canadian Pacific Railway Global Partners LP (NYSE:GLP) (“the Partnership”) today announced a multi-million-dollar expansion and tank refurbishment project that will add 180,000 barrels of ethanol storage capacity and rail access at the Partnership’s refined petroleum products terminal in Albany, New York. Developed jointly with Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) (TSX/NYSE: CP), the project, expected to be operational in 2010, includes modifications that will enable the Albany terminal to schedule the delivery of 80-car trains of ethanol. Global Partners will connect the terminal to CP’s adjacent Kenwood Yard rail facility via pipeline. The terminal and rail facility are strategically located along the Hudson River, providing access to the Partnership’s terminal network in the Northeast. Complete story.
March 11, 2010 - Buffalo News – Collins set to announce surplus of $44 million County Executive Chris Collins will reveal in his State of the County address today that Erie County ended 2009 with a $44 million surplus, one of the largest in years. Complete story.
March 11, 2010 - Buffalo News – First Niagara keeps growing First Niagara Financial Group is leasing 30,000 square feet of additional office space in Amherst, taking up one-third of the building on Ridge Lea Road formerly occupied by Citigroup. The Buffalo-based banking company, which has been on a gobbling binge in Pennsylvania, signed a two-year lease for 4224 Ridge Lea, Suite 100, to accommodate its rapid growth in staff and operations in the past year and coming months. Complete story.
March 10, 2010 - TMZ – CyberDefender Supports Customers with Expanded Call Center Infrastructure CyberDefender , a provider of PC security, Antispyware/Antivirus Software, PC Optimization, PC Support, and Identity Theft Prevention solutions, has expanded its international call center infrastructure. This expansion will support growth in new customer acquisition through increased volume capacity, expanded office facilities and an integrated call routing system. Complete story.
March 9, 2010 - The Times Union – Hiring outlook better in Capital Region The latest survey of Capital Region employers by Manpower turned up some positive news: more plan to add jobs in the second quarter than eliminate them, a sharp turnaround from the previous quarter. In fact, the hiring outlook is the fourth best in the nation, Manpower says. Complete story.
March 8, 2010 - The Business Review – Albany Med receives largest grant in 171-year history Albany Medical Center will use $10 million in federal stimulus money and state matching funds to expand the research laboratories at its medical college. The grant is the largest Albany Medical College has received in its 171-year history. The money came in the form of $9.1 million from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Research Resources, and a corresponding 10 percent “match” from the New York State Innovation Economy Matching Grant Program. The federal funding was made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Complete story.
March 8, 2010 - AZoNano – Magnolia Solar Receive $1m to Develop Low Cost Nanostructured Thin Film Solar Cells The Energy and Environmental Technology Applications Center ("E2TAC") at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), along with Magnolia Solar Corporation (OTCBB: MGLT) ("Magnolia Solar"), announced today that they received a $1 million award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This award is to develop low cost, nanostructure-based advanced thin-film solar cells. Complete story.
March 5, 2010 - Post Standard – Syracuse Center of Excellence headquarters building is dedicated The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems dedicated its modern, angular and energy-efficient headquarters building today. Academics, researchers and politicians hailed it as the driver of collaboration, innovation and job creation in so-called cleantech industry.
"Inside is all the technology that really will make the new economy,'' said Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor in front of hundreds of people gathered Friday afternoon in the building's cavernous laboratory wing.
Collaboration was the word of the day. The Center of Excellence is a federation of more than 200 businesses, colleges, universities and other institutions working on sustainable technologies. It's in Syracuse to capitalize on the area's strength in indoor air quality and environmental science. Complete story.
March 4, 2010 - CNN Money –Magnolia Solar Corporation Announces NYSERDA Program Award for Development of Low Cost Nanostructure-Based Thin Film Solar Cells Magnolia Solar Corporation (OTCBB: MGLT) ("Magnolia Solar"), a developer of low-cost, thin-film photovoltaic modules used in defense and commercial applications, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary has recently received a $1 million award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This award is to develop advanced thin-film solar cells in partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering ("CNSE") of the University at Albany. Complete story.
March 1, 2010 - PR Newswire – Local Company Creates New Jobs by Investing and Expanding in the US Economy While other construction product manufacturers have been cutting costs and scaling back, Kemper System announces the official grand opening of two new facilities, one in West Seneca, New York and the other in Closter, New Jersey. "Due to our continued market expansion and increase in product demand we are able to expand our investment in North America which will benefit our community, our industry and our customers," says Steven Cortazzo, President of Kemper System, Inc., the marketing and sales arm of Kemper System in America. In response to continued growth and demand in the United States, Kemper System GmbH & Co. KG., a member of the IBG Group of Companies, and a worldwide leader in roofing, waterproofing and surfacing solutions, has purchased a 45,000 square foot manufacturing center in West Seneca, New York. Complete story.
February 26, 2010 - Business First – Some see an end to recession From where Paul Hojnacki sits at his president’s desk at Curtis Screw Co., a supplier to the auto industry, the awaited economic rebound has started.
“We have experienced this in the past,” he says. “Automotive is the first to hit a slowdown and leads the manufacturing sector out of it. Our backlog looks strong through midyear.” Complete story.
February 24, 2010 - News channel 34 – Upstate New York I-81 Pre-Seed Workshops Promote Economic Development The first of four I-81 Pre-Seed Workshops (PSW), which help area researchers take their technology-based ideas from the conceptual phase to the beginning stages of a business plan, will be held Feb. 25-26 and March 5. The event, hosted by MedTech and The Technology Garden, is New York state's 30th PSW since the program's inception in 2004. The I-81 PSW involves quarterly workshops with pre-sold slots for the entire year. These seat-holders include Syracuse University, Clean Tech Center, Clarkson University, SUNY Upstate Medical/SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Binghamton University/Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology. In each of the four workshops, teams will explore a new product or business idea. According to MedTech President Heather Erickson, this is the first time the I-81 model will be applied to the Pre-Seed Workshop. Complete story.
February 23, 2010 - Business Review – 46% of Capital Region employers expect biz to grow in 2010 Capital Region employers are more optimistic about the economy this year with nearly 46 percent expecting their business to grow. The 24th annual business climate survey by Marvin and Co. P.C. and the University at Albany School of Business shows that employer expectations have improved since 2009 when 70 percent predicted that business would shrink or remain flat. Complete story.
February 23, 2010 - Post-Standard – Syracuse-area leaders in 10 economic sectors size up challenges for 2010 The Post-Standard asked 10 experts to identify one key challenge or trend that will confront their industries or fields in 2010, and how they will cope with them. Here's what they had to say about higher education, nonprofits, banking, health care, economic development, clean technology, small business, tourism, real estate and manufacturing. Complete story.
February 23, 2010 - Post-Standard – 9 more Central New Yorkers who dared to start a business The Post-Standard talks to nine more entrepreneurs who defied the economy and started a business during the recession. Complete story.
February 23, 2010 - Post-Standard –10 questions for . . . Ben Walsh, Syracuse's economic development chief Ben Walsh is Syracuse’s new economic development chief. He recently was appointed deputy commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development by Mayor Stephanie Miner. Walsh recently talked with staff writer Meghan Rubado about his new job and his goals for the city. Complete story.
February 22, 2010 - CleanTech – Top 10 cleantech cluster organizations for 2010 Which regions have managed to best attract and leverage these key ingredients to help create the world’s best cleantech cluster organizations? Here's one observer's top 10 list: Complete story.
February 21, 2010 - CNYlink – Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and MDA members approve new partnership The memberships of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Association have voted to form a new, regional organization that will serve as the region’s primary economic, community and business development catalyst. The members’ vote follows the unanimous endorsement of the proposal by both organizations’ boards of directors earlier this month.
“By partnering the strengths of each organization, this new organization allows us to improve the effectiveness of our economic development agenda and deliver exceptional business support services to benefit more than 2,000 members from a diverse array of industry sectors,” said Susan Crossett, vice president, National Grid and chairperson of the MDA Board of Directors. “Through their support, Chamber and MDA members - from small businesses to larger corporations – have taken an important step in championing not only the needs of the business community, but the economic well being of the region as a whole.” Complete story.
February 20, 2010 - MarketWire – In Down Economy Healthcare Company Makes Steep Climb In perhaps what is considered the worst economy in America's history, as giant employers lay off thousands, one smaller, astute company continues to grow and add to the workforce. As one of the fastest growing companies in the Buffalo/Niagara region, Gentle Dentistry of East Aurora has a proven track record of success and continues to boost the economy through increased employment, business with vendors, as well as spurring the construction trade by building a new "state-of-the-art" practice in Lancaster. Complete story.
February 19, 2010 - Buffalo News – GM begins rebirth with engine plant in Tonawanda General Motors, on its deathbed just a year ago, announced a half-billion-dollar investment in its U.S. facilities Thursday, with almost all of the money going to its engine plant in the Town of Tonawanda.
The $425 million investment is expected to create 470 jobs at the plant and ensure its future as the producer of GM's next-generation engine — the fuel-efficient, four-cylinder Ecotec. Complete story.
February 15, 2010 - Empire State News – Hudson Valley Community College gets funding for biotech training Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing training at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy will receive $3,382,200 in funding. The grant was funded by the Department of Labor as part of its nationwide $225 million effort to train 15,000 people in job skills needed for careers in high-tech, high growth fields.
“I am thrilled to see this important funding to help create good-paying, secure, high-tech jobs right here in Upstate New York,” said Congressman Scott Murphy (NY-20). “This is why we invited the President to Hudson Valley Community College in September—to see how investments in innovation can lay the foundation for the 21st century economy in our community. There is more work to be done, but this announcement is great news for our region and a major step in the right direction.”. Complete story.
February 14, 2010 - The Record –Changes ahead for RPI incubator program firms Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is making major changes to its business incubator program, eliminating its brick-and-mortar location on campus and putting a renewed focus on the energy and environment field. The 13 companies currently housed in the facility will be moving out of the space over the next several weeks. Complete story.
February 13, 2010 - TopNews – Construction Project of $291 million Pacing Up For Kaleida Health and UB Kaleida Health President and CEO James R. Kaskie explained, "Over the past six months, the construction crews have worked diligently to prepare the site and get us ready for today with the first sequence of steel. Together, with the University at Buffalo, we are building a world-class flagship medical and research center right here in Western New York". Complete story.
February 12, 2010 - Network World – Broadband stimulus provides windfall for rural New York While several broadband buildouts have received tens of millions of dollars from the federal government, the largest so far is a project that will deploy high-speed broadband all throughout New York State. The ION Upstate New York Rural Broadband Initiative has received a $39.7 million grant to stretch out its existing fiber network throughout western and upstate New York. Overall, the fiber network will span 1,308 miles and 70 rural communities, and will bring broadband access to an estimated 250,000 households and 38,000 businesses. Complete story.
February 11, 2010 - The Record –Time Warner to add 170 new jobs at Albany location Citing a growing demand for its services, Time Warner Cable will add 170 new full and part-time jobs at its Western Avenue location, the company announced Wednesday. The expansion will occur at the company’s Regional Outbound Center in Albany, located at 130 Washington Ave., more than doubling the location’s current staff of 155 employees, according to John Quigley, Time Warner’s regional vice president for operations. Complete story.
February 9, 2010 - Post Star– Contracting firm goes all-in on Tech Valley In a sign that upstate New York is indeed becoming a hub for the country's high-tech industry, the construction firm that's building the GlobalFoundries computer chip factory announced Tuesday it plans to relocate its headquarters to the Capital Region. M&W U.S. Inc., previously based in Dallas, Texas, will relocate its operations to the Watervliet Arsenal and the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering over the next 18 months, officials said. The company is a subsidiary of Germany-based M&W Group, previously known as M&W Zander. Rick Whitney, the company's chief executive officer, said the move fits with the firm's "corporate philosophy of being near our clients."
The $4.5 billion GlobalFoundries project in Saratoga County that began last summer - as well as the support businesses the chip maker is expected to draw - is bound to produce more work for the construction firm in the coming years, Whitney said. Complete story.
February 5, 2010 - Post Star– Some entrepreneurs see opportunity along the road to recovery Laura Farrar studied the bleak forecast of an economic downturn and saw an opportunity. She saw doors once slammed tightly shut suddenly swing open. She saw the vendors behind those doors become more welcoming, and their once strictly fixed pricing became more flexible and open to negotiation. "It is a lot harder to get a loan to start a business now, but if you put your ideas together and do your legwork to learn what's available, you can do it," said Farrar, who plans to open a women's shoe boutique, Stella's of Saratoga, on Broadway in the spring. Complete story.
February 3, 2010 - Post Star – Toronto co. picks Tonawanda for U.S. HQ Electro Sonic of America LLC has leased 65,000-square-feet in the Riverview Solar Technology Park that will serve as the hub of its U.S. operations. The Canadian electronics distributor has hired 55 people to work in the warehouse and distribution center. The company is investing $20 million in its Riverview expansion. Complete story.
February 2, 2010 - Daily Orange – SU business enrollment defies trend In the game of business schools, it's all in the name. As the number of university freshmen applying to major in business nationally takes a dive, Syracuse University's Martin J. Whitman School of Management is seeing a 9 percent jump in applicants. SU officials and students tie the prestige of the school's name to its applicant climb. A study of approximately 220,000 first-time students from almost 300 colleges by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California Los Angeles showed an all-time low for freshman listing business as a probable major. Nationally, the percentage of freshman planning to major in business declined from 16.8 to 14.4 percent in the past year. Complete story.
February 2, 2010 - Business First –National Grid backs 2 Buffalo developments A series of grants from National Grid should help move forward three key downtown Buffalo projects. The funds, which will be passed through the Buffalo Urban Development Corp., are aimed helping the advancement of the Canal Side project and developer Rocco Termini’s efforts to renovate the Lafayette Hotel and the AM&As department store. National Grid allocated $800,000 in two separate bids to the Canal Side and $500,000 to Termini for the Lafayette Hotel and AM&As projects. Complete story.
February 1, 2010 - Business Week – U.S. Economy: Factories Expand at Fastest Pace in Five Years Manufacturing expanded in January at the fastest pace since August 2004, indicating production gains that are spearheading the U.S. recovery may soon encourage companies to hire. “Manufacturing is growing, it’s going to continue to expand,” said Hugh Johnson, who manages more than $1.6 billion as chairman of Albany, New York-based Johnson Illington. His forecast of 58 was the highest in the Bloomberg survey. “Whether or not this continues to unfold will depend very heavily on final demand.” Complete story.
January 31, 2010 - Buffalo News– Retaining New Era marks victory for region It’s fitting that New Era Cap Co. makes the hats that Major League Baseball players wear. The Buffalo-based hat maker sure knows how to play hardball.That made it especially satisfying when Western New York walked off victorious in a winner-take-all match that pitted the company’s Derby factory against a sister plant in Alabama. Complete story.
January 31, 2010 - Nick Vaugh – New Green Jobs Created Right Here In the North Country Alliance Energy has plans for a project that would not only create 150 construction jobs, but also 50-75 permanent jobs in Ogdensburg . This close to $30 million project will assist NYS in meeting its renewable energy requirements as mandated by executive order 111 and its goal of having 25% of the states electricity needs satisfied by renewable energy by 2013. Complete story.
January 29, 2010 - Press Republican– Bombardier welcomes high-speed rail investment Bombardier Transportation officials say the $151 million in stimulus funding for high-speed rail in New York represents "a historic step forward." President Barack Obama announced the money this week as part of $8 billion that was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It provides $147 million for projects in the South and West Empire Corridors, $3 million for improvements to the Adirondack Corridor and $1 million for planning for the Empire Corridor. Complete story.
January 22, 2010 - The Post-Standard – Fayette and Salina streets will be converted into a $25 million complex By the end of 2011, four vacant buildings at Fayette and Salina streets will be converted into a $25 million complex with 87 upscale apartments and lots of ground-floor stores and restaurants, said David Nutting, chairman and chief executive officer of development company VIP Structures. Complete story.
January 22, 2010 - The Post-Standard – The Post-Standard By the end of 2011, four vacant buildings at Fayette and Salina streets will be converted into a $25 million complex with 87 upscale apartments and lots of ground-floor stores and restaurants, said David Nutting, chairman and chief executive officer of development company VIP Structures. Complete story.
January 22, 2010 - Trading Markets– Lancaster ecology firm sets stage for rewards from 'green economy' "This new green economy is a great opportunity for E&E," Neumaier told shareholders during the company's annual meeting Thursday. Between rising interest in wind-energy projects, efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and a push to make buildings more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, Neumaier believes that E&E will have plenty of chances to find work in the coming years. Complete story.
January 22, 2010 - Buffalo News – First Niagara profits rise 37.3% in fourth quarter to $31.3 million Average commercial loans in upstate New York grew by $325 million or 9 percent from a year ago. Not counting the National City deposits, core deposits grew 11 percent in 2009. Complete story.
January 22, 2010 - News10 –New lending program helps local small businesses grow A new program aims to help small businesses across New York get the money they need to help grow their companies. It is called "Credit for Success," where banks will work together to provide credit to small businesses for expansion and job creation across the state. Here in the Capital Region, a dozen banks are committing $1.65 million dollars to the program, and six other banks are considering joining the program. Complete story.
January 21, 2010 - Press Connects – Call Center to add 450 jobs in Penn Yan State leaders will announce Friday that The Connection, owned by Data Listing Services LLC, will establish a new call center and invest about $4.5 million into the facility. The company employs about 750 workers in New York at its facilities in Jamestown and Olean and more than 1,000 employees nationwide. Complete story.
January 21, 2010 - Renewable Energy World – Smart Grid Trial Proposed for NY National Grid has proposed a comprehensive smart grid demonstration programme in the Syracuse area of New York State in the US. Calling for a test site of 39,400 homes and businesses in the Syracuse area, the company believes that such a development will serve as a test site for the energy grid of the future and provide hundreds of ‘clean energy’ jobs in upstate New York.
In submitting its plan to the New York Public Service Commission recently Tom King, president of National Grid in the US commented: “The backbone of the new, clean energy economy is going to be a reliable smart grid system that will allow customers to better manage their energy use and costs and be compatible with new technology such as home solar energy generators and plug-in hybrid vehicles.” He added: “This comprehensive smart grid demonstration proposal will test this new system to ensure it will meet the needs of our customers and new clean energy technologies.” Complete story.
January 20, 2010 - MSN Money– Poll: NY execs a bit more upbeat about 2010 Chief executives across New York state aren’t exactly jubilant about the economy, but their a bit happier about the prospects this year than 2009. Of the 459 business leaders polled across the state by Siena Research Institute, 32 percent said they expect business conditions to improve in 2010. Last year, just 11 percent of those surveyed felt optimistic about economic conditions in the coming year.
Complete story.
January 19, 2010 - Central NY Real-Time News – Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner to meet with President Obama on Thursday Less than a month after taking office, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is headed to Washington, D.C., and a meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama.
Complete story.
January 19, 2010 - Earth Times – National Grid Proposes Central New York Pilot Program for the Energy Grid of the Future National Grid has proposed a comprehensive smart grid demonstration program in the Syracuse area that will serve as a test site for the energy grid of the future and provide hundreds of “clean energy” jobs in upstate New York. The company’s plan calls for a test site of 39,400 homes and businesses in the Syracuse area that will use new, state-of-the-art equipment to give customers information about their energy use and tools to reduce their carbon footprint and manage their energy costs.
Complete story.
January 19, 2009 - Earth Times – National Grid Proposes Central New York Pilot Program for the Energy Grid of the Future National Grid has proposed a comprehensive smart grid demonstration program in the Syracuse area that will serve as a test site for the energy grid of the future and provide hundreds of “clean energy” jobs in upstate New York. The company’s plan calls for a test site of 39,400 homes and businesses in the Syracuse area that will use new, state-of-the-art equipment to give customers information about their energy use and tools to reduce their carbon footprint and manage their energy costs.
Complete story.
January 18, 2010 - Trading Markets – Verizon activated 18 cell sites in Adirondacks area in 2009 US wireless communications company Verizon Wireless has activated 18 new cell sites in the Adirondacks region in 2009. Making this announcement on Monday, the company said that now its total number of cell sites in the Adirondacks is over 90, including 33 currently operating within the Adirondack Park itself. Complete story.
January 15, 2010 - Business Review – SBA loan activity up in Albany area The U.S. Small Business Administration's Syracuse District saw a big increase in loan activity in the first quarter of fiscal 2010.
Lenders in the 34-county district, which includes the Albany, N.Y., area, made 197 SBA-guaranteed loans, totaling $35.8 million, in the three months ended Dec. 31. This represents a 19 percent increase in loan volume, and a 68 percent increase in dollars, compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Complete story.
January 15, 2010 - Albany Times Union – Rensselaer County welcomes fab's impact Northern Rensselaer County should have a positive impact from the nearby computer chip factory project, County Executive Kathleen Jimino said Thursday. The $4.2 billion GlobalFoundries Inc. Fab 8 factory at Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta and Stillwater in Saratoga County "will produce a ripple effect," Jimino said. Complete story.
January 14, 2010 - ReadMedia – DHCR Makes Unprecedented Investment in Agri-Business in 2009 In 2009, the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) made an unprecedented investment in Rural New York, awarding New York State Community Development Block Grant (NYS CDBG) funds to more agri-business projects than at any time in the history of the program. Local communities received nearly $3.3 million to support the development and expansion of 11 agri-business enterprises, including family farms, food processors, and innovative agricultural endeavors. These projects will provide at least 278 job opportunities Upstate, the vast majority of which will be made available to low- to- moderate income New Yorkers, while leveraging an additional $52 million in public and private resources. Complete story.
January 14, 2010 - Trading Markets –Verizon Wireless announces network enhancement in Upstate New York US wireless communications services provider Verizon Wireless announced on Thursday the completion of over USD100m in network enhancements throughout Upstate New York for the ninth consecutive year. The investment brings the company's total network investment in Upstate New York to more than USD1.2bn since 2000. Complete story.
January 13, 2010 - Buffalo Niagara Enterprise – Report Finds Region Ripe For Green Economic Future The 162-page report, commissioned by Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and funded by a grant from the electric utility National Grid, argued that such factors as idled industrial facilities, skilled work force, varied educational institutions and strategic location should position the region to respond to the nation’s call for renewable, secure and environmentally friendly energy sources. Complete story.
January 13, 2010 - Buffalo Rising – Planning Board Hears Canal Side Details The Buffalo Planning Board was provided with an overview of Canal Side General Project Plan and associated design guidelines that will apply to future development in the inner harbor area on Tuesday. The presentation was given by consultants retained by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC). No official Planning Board action was required. Canal Side is expected to contain one million square feet of commercial, cultural, and residential space on 20 acres of land at the foot of Main Street. The "preferred alternative" calls for 277,250 square feet of retail space; 173,750 square feet of restaurant and entertainment space; approximately 293,600 square feet of office space; approximately 215 residences; two hotels with a total of 250 rooms; and, 20,000 square feet of cultural space. Complete story.
January 08, 2010 - Central NY Real-Time News – Syracuse recognizes Innovation Fuels for contributing to economic development The Syracuse area’s two most prominent business organizations today will announce a proposal to merge, a combination that would give the region for the first time a unified voice for economic development. The Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York began in July to study the feasibility of merging the two non-profit organizations. An 11-member committee led by former Syracuse University Chancellor Kenneth Shaw and Mary Anne Tyszko, the chairpeople of the board the MDA and the chamber, respectively, recommended merging the two groups. Complete story.
January 07, 2010 - Biomass Magazine – Syracuse recognizes Innovation Fuels for contributing to economic development Innovation Fuels, the New York-based renewable energy company that manufactures, markets and distributes second-generation biodiesel to customers in the U.S. and around the world, was recognized for its contributions to the local economy at the annual Syracuse Economic Champions luncheon and awards ceremony held in October at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter in Syracuse, N.Y. Complete story.
December 22, 2009 - Hudson valley Press – New York State Broadband Development Governor David A. Paterson issued the following statement in response to the announcement of a $44 million for broadband development project in rural areas across Upstate New York. The grants were made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Complete story.
December 21, 2009 - Washington Post – Gas exploration could bolster New York’s economy What’s different with the Marcellus Shale? For starters, it’s massive, by some estimates, holding as much as 516 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. And as our friends from Pennsylvania have shown us, it’s an economic game-changer as well. Complete story.
December 18, 2009 - Washington Post – $7.4 billion in stimulus projects to extend broadband to poor and rural areas Among the projects to receive funding in this round is one for $39.7 million that would bring high-speed Internet service to about 70 rural communities in upstate New York. Complete story.
December 16, 2009 - Buffalo News – Research institute moves downtown A policy and research center at the University at Buffalo has been relocated, in what marks the beginning of similar moves to strengthen UB’s presence downtown. Complete story.
December 15, 2009 - The Business Review (Albany) – First Niagara creates call center, adds 58 jobs First Niagara Bank will create 58 new jobs with the addition of a telephone service center at its Eastern New York headquarters in Albany. The center, at 555 Patroon Creek Blvd., is scheduled to open around Feb. 1. It will handle incoming and outgoing service calls on personal and business banking matters. Complete story.
December 14, 2009 - Buffalo News – Recession close to over in Buffalo, experts say The recession may be close to over in the Buffalo Niagara region, researchers from the Brookings Institution said in a report released today. With the region's job market showing signs of stabilizing and the region's home prices rising modestly, the Buffalo Niagara region could be on the cusp of beginning its recovery from the recession, the Brookings researchers said. Complete story.
December 11, 2009 - WKTV – $4.5 Million announced for empire corridor high speed rail On Friday, it was announced that $4,595,000 has been secured that will set the stage for High Speed Rail service across Upstate New York. The funding will be used to enhance safety and signaling devices along the track in order reduce travel times, improve reliability and work to enable high speed rail travel. Complete story.
December 04, 2009 - WALB – P&G sees a future in Albany Manufacturing jobs have been hit hardest in the recession, but Friday one Albany manufacturer said its not going anywhere. Earlier this year Procter and Gamble announced they were asking 300 employees to consider separation packages. Friday they held their annual retirement dinner where some of those employees said goodbye. Procter and Gamble has been here in Albany since 1978, while they say the tough economy has forced them to make cut backs, they say they're committed to Albany and its workers here. Complete story.
December 02, 2009 - Buffalo Business First –WNY factories show an uptick The Western New York manufacturing sector showed a spark in November with two key measurements rising into expansion mode. According to the National Association of Purchasing Management-Buffalo Inc., both the non-seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted purchasing manager’s index, or PMI, improved by 2 percent. The non-seasonally adjusted PMI rose to 49.4, while the seasonally adjusted PMI moved to 50.7, crossing into the delicate expansion zone. The biggest factor was the increase in the production index to 53.2 from 46.9. Complete story.
November 27, 2009 - WSYR – New York State gets $88 million in energy grants New York State will receive more than $88 million in federal stimulus money to support four Smart Grid demonstration and energy storage projects. According to Governor Paterson’s Office, the four New York projects were competitively selected with 28 other projects nationwide with the goal of helping “to build a smarter, more efficient, and more resilient electrical grid.” The program gave out a total of $620 million, and the winners were announced Tuesday by U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. Complete story.
November 22, 2009 - Waterdown Daily Times – Companies expanding NNY wireless capabilities Wireless service is expanding in the north country. Two Verizon Wireless cell towers recently went online in Lisbon and Stockholm, and AT&T has upgraded 11 sites in St. Lawrence County and two in Jefferson County to expand coverage and capacity for cell phone and laptop users. Complete story.
November 18, 2009 - Buffalo News –Buffalo poised for improvement as recession ends There are encouraging economic signs that the recession, the worst since the Great Depression, is ending. While there’s been financial devastation on a global and national level, when it comes to the effects of the recession on the local economy, there is a silver lining for Western New York. Granted, the economic conditions in the Buffalo area have been bad for a long time. Yet we seem immune to many of the negative effects the rest of the country has experienced from the recession. Complete story.
November 17, 2009 - Times Union – Manufacturing continues to gain Manufacturing conditions in New York state continued to improve this month, although not at last month's pace, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The data come from the Federal Reserve's monthly Empire State Manufacturing Survey, which reports impressions from 200 manufacturing executives around the state.
The survey's general business conditions index, which measures the direction of manufacturing conditions in the state, was 23.5 points this month. Complete story.
October 23, 2009 - CleanTech – Indian carmaker Reva to manufacture in NY Indian auto manufacturer Reva Electric Car has selected Syracuse, N.Y., to build its plug-in electric vehicles, with a manufacturing facility capable of pumping out more than 20,000 cars a year that's expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2010. A memorandum of understanding was signed with the state of New York today to finalize site selection for the plant in Central New York’s Onondaga County, Robert Simpson told the Cleantech Group today, following a press conference. Simpson is president and CEO of the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York, which helped coordinate the deal. Complete story.
October 15, 2009 - Buffalo Business First – NY manufacturers' confidence level rising Manufacturing conditions in New York state have improved to their strongest level in five years, according to an updated report issued Thursday. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York Buffalo branch said that its monthly index gauging current business conditions for manufacturers soared to 34.6 points in October, nearly double the reading from last month. Complete story.
October 13, 2009 - WSYR – Governor signs Green Jobs bill Gov. David Paterson was in Syracuse Tuesday to ring in news of a program to strengthen our Green Job Force. The “Green Jobs, Green New York” bill, which Paterson just signed, is expected to help those out of work, train for green collar jobs. The goal of the legislation is to both create green jobs and invest in energy efficient upgrades for commercial and residential buildings. “This legislation will fund $112 million of valuable programs that will help us combat what really is the pressing issue of our time, which is climate change and global warming,” said Gov. Paterson.
Complete story.
September 25, 2009 - Buffalo Business First – New York City sets trillion-dollar pace Rochester is the Upstate leader with GMP of $45.4 billion, good for 52nd place nationally. Close behind are Buffalo in 55th place at $44.0 billion and Albany in 56th at $39.3 billion. The other Upstate entries are No. 78 Syracuse ($26.9 billion) and No. 95 Poughkeepsie ($21.0 billion). The typical U.S. metro expanded its economy by 0.8 percent between 2007 and 2008, but four Upstate metros surpassed that rate. Complete story.
September 18, 2009 - CNY Real-Time News –Automaker from India considering building a factory in Syracuse area Central New York has emerged as the leading contender among several sites in the United States for construction of a multimillion-dollar auto plant that would build a new generation of electric cars for the North American market. REVA Electric Car Co., of Bangalore, India, is in final negotiations to enter the market with a partner that would manufacture REVA's newest model at a plant in the Syracuse area, according to several sources familiar with the talks. The plant, to be built in Onondaga County, would initially employ 100 people with the potential to create hundreds of jobs as it ramps up to full production capacity. Complete story.
September 18, 2009 - WGRZ – Biopharmaceuticals Making Its Mark In WNY Economy
Behind the walls of Buffalo's newest clinical research centers, lies more than two dozen medicines awaiting approval by the U.S Food and Drug Administration that could treat cancer and other debilitating diseases. "I've traveled all over the country, and this is one of the most impressive areas of biotechnology that I've seen," said Ken Johnson, Sr. Vice President of Communications for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Complete story.
September 15, 2009 - Business Today – Buffalo among strongest metro areas Buffalo is one of the strongest-performing of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas based on housing prices, a low level of foreclosed properties and its employment in the second quarter, but its overall economic output remains weak, according to a new report. The report by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, being released today, paints a positive picture of Buffalo’s housing market and its most recent jobs situation. Complete story.
September 14, 2009 - Public News Service – 60,000 Much-Needed Jobs to be Created by New "Green Bill” The "Green Jobs, Green New York" bill is on Gov. David Paterson's desk, and he is expected to sign it. The legislation maps out a plan to create tens of thousands of new jobs a year in the state, as well as lowering utility costs for about a million homes. Complete story.
September 13, 2009 - Business Today – First Niagara ‘jacked’ up about Buffalo John R. Koelmel, First Niagara Financial Group’s chief executive officer, says downtown Buffalo was the Pendletonbased banking company’s first—and only —choice for its new headquarters. That’s reassuring, especially since First Niagara soon will have more branches and deposits in Pennsylvania than in its original upstate New York markets once it closes on the $237 million deal it announced in July to buy Harleysville National Corp., a suburban Philadelphia bank. “No intent to cut and run on our part,” Koelmel says. “We’re more than loyal players.” Complete story.
September 11, 2009 - Media-Newswire –State Seeking $775 Million to Bridge New York's Digital Divide and Continue Mapping Efforts Governor David A. Paterson today announced that 22 New York State government agencies and non-government organizations have applied for approximately $775 million in federal stimulus grants to make broadband service universally available in unserved and underserved communities across the State. The projects will provide greater internet access to people throughout the State, increase digital literacy programs and spur economic development. Complete story.
September 10, 2009 - The Business Review (Albany) – 40 Under Forty: Michael Holtzman Michael Holtzman remembers nearing graduation at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and having a tough decision to make. The startup he was working for, the now defunct ProductivityNet, was closing up. “I had just turned down two very good job offers from large companies,” Holtzman says. “In the spring of 2002, the economy wasn’t in top condition.” But that didn’t deter him from deciding to start Gavant Software with business partner Jon Kloptosky. Complete story.
September 10, 2009 - Buffalo Business First– BNE upbeat in a down year Despite a tough national economy, the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise said it was able to meet most of its projections during the past year. The BNE announced during its annual meeting, held Thursday morning at the Avant building in downtown Buffalo, that the regional economic development marketing and outreach agency landed 19 wins during its 2008-2009 fiscal year that resulted in $336.76 million in private sector investment and the creation or retention of 1,354 jobs. Complete story.
September 09, 2009 - Newz Junky– Green Jobs/Green NY to Help Get Economy Back on Track As part of ongoing efforts to create jobs and reduce costs for energy consumers, state Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine is working to pass legislation known as the Green Jobs/Green New York Act of 2009 (S.5888/A.8901) that would use revenue from the sale of carbon emission credits to fund conservation, train workers to weatherize homes, defray capital improvement costs for business and residential consumers throughout New York State, and cut monthly energy bills. Complete story.
September 06, 2009 - Buffalo News –The worst of recession may be over The first hopeful sign came last week, when a survey of local purchasing managers reported that the Buffalo Niagara region’s manufacturers actually started growing again during August. It was the first time that the business activity index of the National Association of Purchasing Management—Buffalo had shown growth since last September, just before the economy began its free-fall. Complete story.
August 04, 2009 - CNET News – New York rolls dice on semiconductors When people think of Saratoga Springs, they normally think of the ponies. But now this area in upstate New York is going from horses to high-tech. Here in the small town of Malta, just south of Saratoga Springs, a new $4.2 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant has just broken ground. "I think it's going to have a huge benefit in terms of returning to the region the status that was here long ago in manufacturing," said Doug Grose, the CEO of Global Foundries, which is a collaboration between the chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices and an Abu Dhabi investment group. Complete story.
August 02, 2009 - CNY Real-Time News – Despite recession, CNY home prices hold steady David Wiktorowicz had been looking to buy a house for a year and a half, but he wasn't in a big hurry until Congress created an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. So Wiktorowicz, 25, hooked up with a real estate agent and quickly found a home he liked -- a three-bedroom ranch listed for $98,500 on Richards Road in Camillus. Built in 1953, it needed a lot of updating, but that was alright with Wiktorowicz, an architectural designer. Complete story.
August 02, 2009 - Observer-Dispatch – Guest view: Nanotech will transform our region On July 15 at SUNYIT in Marcy, it was my privilege along with Assembly Speaker Silver, Gov. David Paterson and a host of other officials to announce the creation of the Computer Chip Hybrid Integration partnership, or CHIP, at SUNYIT. This collaboration links SUNYIT and our region’s economic development team with the highly successful College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CSNE) at the University at Albany. Complete story.
July 24, 2009 - New York Times–New Factory Seen as Boon for Upstate A decade ago, it was 200 acres of pine trees near Saratoga Lake. A decade from now, it could be the booming heart of a new high-tech corridor, filled with some of the most sophisticated labs and plants in the country. After years of haggling and setbacks, officials finally broke ground Friday on a $4.2 billion plant that will manufacture advanced microprocessors and would be the most advanced facility of its kind in the world. The plant, to be built on a 222-acre site, will be bigger than the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. Complete story.
July 24, 2009 - Austin American Statesman – AMD spinoff starts work on a $4.2 billion chip plant Work on a $4.2 billion chip plant supplying Advanced Micro Devices Inc. starts today in a woodsy patch of upstate New York, across the Atlantic from AMD's sister factories and in the middle of a recession. Complete story.
July 15, 2009 - WNYT – Computer chip partnership bringing jobs to Albany As many as 675 new jobs will be coming to upstate New York, including 200 in Albany.Gov. Paterson Wednesday announced a new partnership between the State University of New York Institute of Technology and the University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. The two will create a computer chip hybrid integration partnership. Complete story.
July 15, 2009 - Albany Times Union – N.Y. chip business catches West Coast's eye That's because GlobalFoundries Inc. has started construction of a $4.2 billion computer chip factory in Saratoga County -- the only advanced "chip fab" being built right now anywhere in the United States."Really, the prevailing news here is that New York state is driving the industry forward," said Brian Hannafin, vice president of business development and marketing at the Center for Economic Growth, the organizer of the NY Loves Nanotech booth at the show. Complete story.
July 13, 2009 - NYSERDA Press Releases – NYSERDA Awards $1.5 million to Syracuse-based Clean Tech Center to
Establish Clean Energy Business Incubator Program
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced an award of $1.5 million to the Center for Clean Tech Entrepreneurship at the Tech Garden to establish a clean energy business incubator program that will provide business support to accelerate the successful development of early-stage, clean energy technology companies in Central Upstate New York. Through this award and other ongoing efforts, NYSERDA is building the capacity to foster innovative clean energy companies, grow the clean energy industry in New York, and expand the State’s “green collar” workforce. Complete story.
July 8, 2009 - Inhabitat – Omega Center for Sustainable Living Opens in Upstate New York
On track to become the first green building to achieve both LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge Certification, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OSCL) embodies the synthesis of wastewater recycling, clean energy, and eco-friendly architecture. Designed by sustainable design firm BNIM Architects as a functioning model for the nonprofit organization Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, the state-of-the art environmental education and water reclamation facility in Rhinebeck, New York serves as a teaching tool to educate visitors on Omega’s ongoing environmental initiatives, including innovative wastewater strategies. Complete story.
July 8, 2009 - Media Newswire – GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES FEDERAL APPROVAL OF $123 MILLION IN ENERGY RELATED STIMULUS FUNDS FOR NEW YORK STATE
Governor David A. Paterson today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy ( DOE ) has approved New York’s plan for federal stimulus funding through the State Energy Program ( SEP ) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ( ARRA ). The $123 million SEP plan will create jobs in the clean energy sector by complementing current State programs. The SEP funds will allow the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ( NYSERDA ) to provide additional financial support for the installation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy systems across the State, and for the introduction of alternative fuel vehicles into fleets. Complete story.
July 7, 2009 - Media Newswire – GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES $11 MILLION IN STIMULUS FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE
Governor David A. Paterson today announced the award of over $11 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act ( ARRA ) funding for projects that will help to modernize New York’s infrastructure. The economic recovery funds for these projects will be administered by the New York State Community Development Block Grant ( NYS CDBG ) program and were approved by the State’s Housing Trust Fund Corporation ( HTFC ). The grants will allow 17 projects to move forward, creating 435 new jobs across the State. Complete story.
Canadian company expands in Tonawanda
GM to upgrade Tonawanda plant
Saratoga County, New York - Saratoga Economic Development Corporation
WKTV Coverage of High Speed Rail Event in Syracuse
CabFab E2E Story on News Channel 9Videos to Embed by VideoLightBox.com v1.8 
