Eversource Earns Award for Using Smart Technology to Reduce Peak Energy Usage
An Eversource program that pays customers to use less electricity during high-demand periods has received an award for Outstanding Achievement in Residential Program Design & Implementation by the Assoc. of Energy Services Professionals. The award recognizes the company’s ConnectedSolutions demand-response program, which leverages customer-owned devices, such as wireless thermostats, battery storage, and electric-vehicle chargers, to…
New Green Technology from UMass Amherst Generates Electricity ‘Out of Thin Air’ | Office of News & Media Relations | UMass Amherst
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a device that uses a natural protein to create electricity from moisture in the air, a new technology they say could have significant implications for the future of renewable energy, climate change and in the future of medicine. Read the source article at University of Massachusetts…
‘The Ball That Changed a Town’: Golf Channel airs documentary on Chicopee Callaway factory
Golf Channel viewers are familiar with Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls — or, they’re at least familiar with the 30 or more PGA pros like Phil Mickelson who play their rounds with the ball. Now those viewers have a chance get familiar with Callaway Golf Ball Operations Inc. and its Chicopee plant where longtime employees…
Holyoke’s Loophole Brewing starts collaboration with Irish beer maker, leading to a ‘gateway’ for European breweries looking at U.S. market
A craft brewery based in Holyoke is hoping to be the gateway for European brewers into the United States. Loophole Brewery took the first step in accomplishing that goal Tuesday with its announcement of a collaboration with Baronscourt Brewing Company out of Ireland. “I think it’s going to be a great start,” Jeff Goulet of…
Springfield BID buys former Skyplex building at Stearns Square, borrows to renovate for an unnamed tenant
The Springfield Business Improvement District obtained more than $1.68 million in loans and grants from MassDevelopment last month to renovate the interior of the former Skyplex entertainment complex at 8-12 Stearns Square for an as-yet unnamed tenant. The BID also bought the 105-year-old building from MassDevelopment for the nominal fee of $100, also according to…
Five Manufacturing Trends to Watch in 2020
Both the immediate and long-term future of the manufacturing industry will be defined by the development of several evolving trends and cutting-edge technologies. According to the Assoc. of Equipment Managers (AEM), many of these are poised to have a significant impact in 2020 and beyond, so it’s critically important for manufacturers to develop a keen…
HUB International Continues to Grow Its Footprint in the Region
When FieldEddy Insurance entered the HUB International family a little over five years ago, it traded a name with a rich regional history for one backed by the resources of a large corporation. The result has been the best of both worlds — HUB’s clout improves the office’s ability to grow specific niches through talent…
Changing Perceptions, State Investments Spark Renewed Interest in Area’s Technical Schools
It wasn’t so long ago that young people — and their parents — perceived technical schools as a last resort of sorts. But a profoundly changed labor market, a workforce crisis, and a series of investments on the part of the Commonwealth have changed all that. Today, these are increasingly seen as schools of choice…
‘The un-office office’: MassMutual revamps State Street headquarters as it grows in Springfield and Boston
The oldest Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance policy that’s yet to be claimed belongs to a 103-year-old man in Pennsylvania. Taken out in 1928, the policy has been in force for 92 years. “Which means someone, a parent or a grandparent, took out that policy in that insured man’s name when he was 11,” says Roger…
Welcome to 21st century banking at PeoplesBank Pedlar Banking Center in Holyoke
ATM machines. Online banking. Twenty-four-hour access. How the banking industry has changed with the advent of computers and advanced technology from the days when you would make a deposit, the clerk would register it in a book, then write you a receipt of the deposit. Read the source article at masslive.com
Invest in women to counteract ‘business as usual’: Outlook 2020 Viewpoint Donna Haghighat
At the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, we examine what challenges and opportunities women and girls in our region face. If we can solve some of these challenges and amplify some opportunities, our entire region will progress. Just as this year’s Outlook is focusing on education and jobs, education and employment were two key indicators…
Universal Plastics in Holyoke carries on Western Massachusetts’ legacy of manufacturing
Pia and Jay Kumar wanted to operate a business together. They were ready to leave behind the hustle of New York City and their Wall Street careers. They heard through a family friend about Universal Plastics in Holyoke, a manufacturer specializing in custom thermoforming. “We felt it was the right business in terms of culture,…