Connecticut’s summer is off to a great start

From the Commissioner’s Desk

The American author Charles Bowden once said, “Summertime is always the best of what might be.”

This summer started off just that way. On the heels of Amazon’s big news in June, Indeed, the world’s largest jobs website, announced plans to invest $26.5 million to expand its Stamford offices. Indeed will create as many as 500 new jobs in the next few years, bringing its Connecticut workforce to more than 1,200.

In explaining its decision, the company cited two of Connecticut’s strengths. “It is a huge advantage for us to have access to a well-educated, tech-savvy employee population that is attracted by the high quality of life in the area,” said Dave O’Neill, Indeed’s Chief Financial Officer. 

Indeed’s choice highlights the value Connecticut offers tech-based companies – a fact that may get lost amid some of the negative headlines we have read. With Indeed and Amazon, two of the world’s most innovative companies, about to create hundreds and hundreds of jobs here, this is shaping up as one of the best summers ever – hope you take time to enjoy it!

Catherine

Indeed to add 500 jobs in Stamford, calling state’s workforce a ‘huge advantage’

Indeed, the world’s largest jobs website, will expand its Stamford offices and grow its workforce to as much as 1,200. “Indeed is an innovative, high-tech company that has been steadily growing services and adding hundreds of new, good-paying jobs, going from a handful of employees over a decade ago to 700 working in Stamford today,” said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

The state will provide a $7-million, 15-year low-interest loan to help with the expansion. The company may also be eligible for up to $15 million in tax credits through DECD’s Urban and Industrial Sites Reinvestment Tax Credit program. “It is a huge advantage for us to have access to a well-educated, tech-savvy employee population that is attracted by the high quality of life in the area,” said Dave O’Neill, Indeed’s chief financial officer. 

14 Connecticut aerospace manufacturers meet global customers at the Paris Air Show

Smaller companies face challenges trying to compete with bigger ones – visibility, for one. That’s why DECD, in partnership with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, helped 14 Connecticut aerospace manufacturers meet customers and potential customers from around the world at the recent Paris Air Show.

Since the state has been helping companies get to the biennial air shows in Paris and Farnborough, England, they’ve sold more than $415 million in goods and services to contacts made at those shows.

In the Connecticut pavilion were Connecticut Coining of Bethel; Consolidated Industries and EDAC Technologies, both of Cheshire; Whitcraft of Eastford; New England Airfoil Products / Pietro Rosa TBM of Farmington; two Meriden companies, AGC Acquisitions and Jonal Laboratories; Precision Sensors of Milford; Fluid Forming Technologies of New Fairfield; two companies based in Newington, PCX Aerostructures and Reno Machine; Microboard Processing of Seymour; First Aviation Services of Westport; and Aero Gear of Windsor.

U.S. government to buy 257 Stratford-made Black Hawk helicopters from Sikorsky

Sikorsky will sell 257 H-60 Black Hawk helicopters – total cost, $3.8 billion – to the U.S. government. Sikorsky will build the helicopters at its headquarters in Stratford and deliver them to the U.S. Army and foreign customers over the next five years. Sikorsky has been making Black Hawks for the Army since 1978.

The contract includes options for an additional 103 choppers, which would bring the total value of the deal to more than $5 billion. Sikorsky will also build the new King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters in Stratford, and the company has agreed to double its spending with Connecticut suppliers, currently pegged at $350 million a year.

Norwegian Air Edinburgh service brings a second European connection to Bradley

Bradley International Airport now has a second nonstop connection to Europe, as Norwegian Air has launched regular service from Edinburgh, Scotland. “This new international route highlights Bradley Airport’s continued growth and is a reflection of Bradley’s growing popularity among European carriers,” said Charles R. Gray, chairman of the Connecticut Airport Authority.

Norwegian will fly the route three times weekly, except twice weekly during the winter. Outbound flights leave Bradley at 9:35 p.m. and arrives at 9:30 a.m. in Edinburgh. Inbound flights leave Edinburgh at 5:15 p.m. and arrives in Connecticut at 7:55 p.m. Last September, Aer Lingus began direct service to Dublin. Travelers can now connect to more than 30 European cities with these two connections.

In the news: Growing Connecticut businesses

Check out these recent articles spotlighting businesses that are growing and thriving in Connecticut, including Leipold Precision Group, Yale New Haven Health, Jackson Laboratory, Audio Products Corp., Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort and Express Kitchens.

Five Connecticut startups receive $44,000 in CTNext Entrepreneur Innovation Awards

Five Connecticut startups received a total of $44,000 in prizes in the CTNext Entrepreneur Innovation Awards. The competition showcases new companies and their products and services.

Winning $10,000 prizes were Danbury-based Egghead, which is developing a new way to package and sell ice cream; Fjord Weather Systems of Wilton, which is developing a way to use boats as weather-monitoring systems; Lucca Ventures of Southington, which is developing a way for patients to communicate clearly while wearing a full-face oxygen mask; and West Hartford-based Obvia, developing technology that is designed to improve efficiency and scalability for Sunforce Wind Turbines.

FDA OKs treatment for acute skin infections from New Haven-based Melinta Therapeutics

A new antibiotic to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) like drug-resistant MRSA has been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Baxdela, developed by New Haven-based Melinta Therapeutics, also received Qualified Infectious Disease Product status, giving Melinta an additional five years market exclusivity for the approved purpose.

About 3 million Americans each year are hospitalized with ABSSSI. Biopharmaceutical companies based in Italy, Ireland and Brazil have purchased rights to market the drug in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. Three Yale University scientists founded Melinta in 2000.

Asnuntuck C.C. unveils new $25 million Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center

Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield has opened its new $25 million Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. The new center features computer labs and technology-enhanced classrooms, as well as manufacturing lab space for metrology and inspection and additive-manufacturing technology equipment.

Added to Asnuntuck’s existing facilities, the college now has 50,000 square feet of space dedicated to filling the advanced-manufacturing talent pipeline. It gives Asnuntuck the capacity to double the enrollments in its full-time manufacturing certificate and incumbent-worker training programs. It will now be able to offer a certificate in additive manufacturing.