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EDC February 08 Newsletter02/29/2008
Economic Development Council of Westen Massachusetts MonthlyUpdates/www.WesternMassEDC.com
Liberty Mutual lands in Springfield bringing 300 jobs During a February 28 press conference, Governor Deval Patrick announced Liberty Mutual Group's plans to establish a customer service center within the Springfield Technical Community College Technology Park. This insurance-based operation will occupy 60,000 feet of office space and employ up to 300 people in jobs beginning at an average of $35,000 yearly. More than 150 staff members will be in place by year's end. Edmund F. Kelly, Liberty Mutual's chairman and CEO, acknowledged the support his company received from the Commonwealth, the City and private sector agencies in facilitating this effort. He noted several reasons for choosing Springfield including a labor force of approximately one million workers, 100,000 college students, redundant power, abundant broadband capacity and low office space rental rates. Governor Patrick cited this project as further evidence of his administration's commitment to grow jobs and investment in all regions of the Commonwealth. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno was also in attendance, welcoming Liberty Mutual and noting that this announcement, coupled with the previous day's announcement by the Socaplast Inc.'s decision to found a U.S. headquarters within the city, indicates that Springfield is ready and willing to welcome new businesses. For more information, contact Michael Graney at (413) 755-1300 or mgraney@westernmassedc.com. European "Green Industry" Company chooses Springfield for U.S. headquarters This May, the Belgium-based industrial recycling company Socaplast Inc., will launch into full production at its new U.S. headquarters in the Solutia Business Park of Springfield. Socaplast's decision to invest $3.4 million in the development of a recycling center was announced by executives of Socaplast and Solutia as well as Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and EDC President and CEO Allan Blair on February 27. Equipment for the facility is slated to arrive at the Solutia Business Park in April as the company's 15-person workforce is being trained on the mechanics of the recycling plant for polyvinylbuterol foil and trimmings, a bi-product of manufacturing laminated glass. "This is the first tangible result of our efforts to market Western Massachusetts to international businesses, an initiative that began when Bradley International Airport began daily service to Amsterdam in July," Blair said. "The decision to found this U.S. headquarters in Springfield will be mutually beneficial to both Socaplast and Solutia while benefitting the region through new investment and growth." For more information, contact EDC Vice President of Business Development Michael Graney at (413) 755-1300 or mgraney@westernmassedc.com. 2008 increase of unemployment insurance tax rate will not go into effect In January, the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield had asked you to contact your State Representatives and Senators asking him or her to vote for freezing the 2008 tax rates at the 2007 level. I have heard from many elected officials that they received many calls from the business community, all requesting this rate freeze. They were also under intense pressure from organized labor to not do this, allowing the rate increases to take place. This alert is two-fold. First, to be sure you knew about this rate freeze. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, to ask you to get back to those elected officials you spoke to about freezing the rates and thank them. Our unemployment insurance rates are still among the highest in the country and the Chamber will continue to look for ways to reduce this high cost of doing business. For now, please be sure to thank your elected officials for freezing this year's unemployment insurance tax rates. And to you, thanks for getting involved in legislative affairs. The business community's voice, your voice, must be heard. For more information about this or other legislative matters, contact Jeffery Ciuffreda at Ciuffreda@myonlinechamber.com. GSCVB gives members a winter full of events The Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) held a series of events in January to provide information and support to its membership base. On January 24, the Bureau held a Member Orientation to help new members, as well as new employees at established member properties, to become better acquainted with the Bureau and learn how to maximize membership benefits. The following week, January 29, the GSCVB hosted a Public Relations Roundtable Session, which offered members some guidelines and suggestions to improve their public relations efforts. The Republican's Business Editor Kenneth Ross served as a guest speaker and addressed the group about pitching stories to the media. The Bureau also presented Howdy University, a hospitality training seminar, on January 30 at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. More than 50 attendees gathered to hear keynote speaker Doug Price, co-author of License to Serve, one of the hospitality training industry's premier "how-to" books. For more information, contact Michelle Goldberg at Michelle@valleyvisitor.com. SpringfieldDowntown.com is open for business The Springfield Business Improvement District is pleased to announce the launch of their new website - www.SpringfieldDowntown.com. This dynamic website features an up to date calendar that showcases "what's happening" downtown, as well as a searchable database of downtown Springfield restaurants, clubs, bars and service providers. Visit SpringfieldDowntown.com to subscribe to the new on line community! For more information, contact Leslie Acosta at Leslie@springfielddowntown.com. RTC announces new digital marketing seminars for 2008 The Regional Technology Corporation (RTC) and its Technology Enterprise Council (TEC) network will be holding a series of five digital marketing seminars. The first of these, "Viral Marketing" will be held on Friday, March 21 at Springfield Technical Community College Technology Park, 8:30 -10:30 a.m. Other segments of this event series include Using Social Networks as Marketing Tools, Business Blogging, Using Video to Enhance Marketing, and Web Trends. Web 2.0 based solutions are being used for training, all aspects of marketing (including advertising,) public relations and building brand equity, as well as other types of corporate information transfer. "The best part of this series is that you do not have to be a technology-based company to leverage these cost effective technologies in order to gain a competitive advantage," explained Ellen Bemben, RTC President. This event is free to RTC members and $50 to non-members. Advanced registration is required. For more information or to register, contact April Cloutier at april@rtccentral.com or (413) 755-1314. |
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© 2008 Western Massachusetts Economic Development 1441 Main Street Springfield MA 01103 |
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