Category Archives: Business News

Many New York manufacturers, especially those in downstate regions, are bullish on reshoring their production operations or supply chains after the coronavirus pandemic put them through upheaval.

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) and Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) recently unveiled a survey of manufacturers statewide that found that 44 percent of them plan, or have already started, to reshore their supply chains or production operations. But among downstate manufacturers, which sustained the heaviest pandemic job losses, that planned/implemented reshoring rate was 59 percent.

To support manufacturers’ reshoring plans, CEG earlier this year managed over $220,000 in COVID-19 Reshoring and Supply Chain grants across the state with other New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers. Five of the 23 manufacturers that received those grants were in the Capital Region, with their share totaling nearly $50,000. 

They included Centrotherm Ecosystems in Albany, Free Form Fibers in Saratoga Springs, Unilux in Niskayuna, Stem Cultures in East Greenbush, and Next Advance in Troy. These funds were provided through a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) MEP $800,000 grant from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

“Our main product line is useless without the normally ubiquitous 5-cent parts used to hold samples. Since the pandemic, these parts have been unavailable or in very short supply. The New York state MEP grant enabled us to provide a solution so that our bread-and-butter product line is still in demand and scientists can use it to research COVID-19, cancer, Alzheimer’s, new pharmaceutical drugs, etc.,” said Ian Glasgow, president of Next Advance, a laboratory instrument manufacturer.

“Whether you’re making widgets or wafers, supply chain reliability is foundational, and the pandemic has reminded manufacturers statewide that it is something they cannot take for granted,” said Michael Lobsinger, vice president of CEG Business Growth Solutions (BGS). “That is why we see so much momentum behind reshoring in manufacturing. Reshoring can mean a lot of things but primarily it’s two things: either a company is physically moving a plant, operations, or process back to the United States, or it is replacing goods or services with new ‘domestic’ vendors and suppliers.”

Construction has started on Dominic Hollow Apartments, a $21 million affordable and supporting housing development in the town of Ballston that will create 60 homes, including 30 reserved for adults in need of supportive services.

Dominic Hollow Apartments will be affordable to households earning at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income. Thirty apartments will be reserved for adults who will receive on-site services provided by RISE Housing and Support Services. RISE is also the project’s developer with CSD Housing in a consulting role.  

“Saratoga County is one of the fastest-growing counties in New York, and the Dominic Hollow Apartments will help fulfill the rising need for affordable housing,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in announcing the start of the work. “As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, my administration will continue to prioritize investments that allow New Yorkers to find safe, secure, and sustainable housing so they can live healthy and successful lives in the communities they love.”

Services and rental subsidies for 18 supportive units will be funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and 12 supportive units will be funded by the state Office of Mental Health. OMH is providing $416,000 annually in operating expenses for the 18 ESSHI units, as well as $477,000 annually for the 12 supportive units.

Officials said Dominic Hollow Apartments is designed to meet the energy efficiency requirements of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Low-Rise New Construction program and EPA’s ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Program Version 3.1. Sustainable features will include Energy Star or equivalent heating and cooling equipment, appliances, and light fixtures; water-conserving plumbing fixtures; and low- or no-VOC paints, primers, adhesives, and sealants. 

Additional residential amenities will include a community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, a mail/package room, and a gym area. Outdoor amenities will include a gazebo, patio, and playground.   

Fingerpaint, biopharma’s global commercialization partner for analytics-enabled integrated solutions, has acquired two companies as it continues to expand.

One company acquired is Engage, a London-based, award-winning, data and analytics–enabled healthcare marketing firm.

The MedThink, a North Carolina–based company that empowers healthcare providers through medical communications. 

Engage will expand Fingerpaint’s European footprint and complement the company’s current data and analytics expertise.  

The acquisition of MedThink will bring extensive medical communications capabilities to Fingerpaint through 2 distinct divisions: MedThink SciCom, which harnesses deep scientific knowledge and extensive industry experience to develop solutions for medical affairs, medical communications, and publication groups; and MedThink Communications, which provides medical education and marketing services that influence perception and change the behavior of healthcare professionals to commercial teams of all sizes.

“Strengthening our global infrastructure is reflective of the diversified biopharma industry we serve worldwide,” said Ed Mitzen, founder of Fingerpaint about Engage. “Our combined global omnichannel marketing solutions guided by—and rooted in—data will further Fingerpaint’s position as a transformative digital partner to biopharma’s commercialization needs.”   

Mary McGregor and Dave Chandler, both founders and managing partners of Engage, will continue to lead day-to-day operations.   

Season 5 of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s live webcam series Foal Patrol is now available online at www.foalpatrol.com.

Foal Patrol is a collection of live cameras following the daily activities of in-foal mares produced by the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs. Millions of people throughout the world have viewed the popular webcam program since its inaugural season in 2018, officials said.

The Foal Patrol Season 5 participants are: Elate (in foal to Speightstown at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky.), Spanish Bunny (in foal to Uncle Mo at Gainesway Farm, Lexington, Ky.), Traveling Tiger (in foal to Audible at Safari North at Pauls Mill Farm, Versailles, Ky.), Repeta (in foal to Volatile at Three Chimneys Farm, Versailles, Ky.), and Floripa (in foal to Vekoma at Old Tavern Farm, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). Live footage will expand as the mares approach their expected foaling dates.

Season 5 will feature a new education site at www.foalpatrol.com/education to connect Foal Patrol fans of all ages to online resources, videos, and podcasts that begin with breeding and reproduction and span the life of the thoroughbred, including Just for Kids; the Insights videos for youth considering industry careers; online resources about the health and care of the horse; and the platform of Your Stories for viewers’ photo submissions and stories of how Foal Patrol has inspired them. 

New content will be added to the site weekly from January through June. A variety of thoroughbred industry partners have committed to supporting the educational efforts with regular content and support throughout Season 5.

“One of the many wonderful things about the sport of racing is that it has a great history of its industry partners working together to make projects such as Foal Patrol as successful as possible,” said Cate Masterson, director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. “We’ve received nothing but positive responses from within the racing community about Foal Patrol and we are so grateful for everyone’s contributions to the program.”

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Mike Meier of Ballston Spa is the owner of a new painting business, 518 Mr. Paint.

Meier said after receiving his degree in architecture from the University at Buffalo, he decided to find work in a trade. He said he really took to painting.

“I’ve been painting for almost 10 years. I’ve worked for various companies. A couple years here and there for each company. I would tell my employers that with my education, I can come up with estimates and project management, but none of them ever took me up on my offer,” said Meier.

Meier said when COVID hit his hours were cut and at that point he began to rethink his situation.

“Even though I knew I was very skilled and valuable, I was told I should feel lucky to even have a job. So while other more established companies struggled to get painters and other painters went on unemployment, I started my company with only $1,500 in my bank account,” he said.

By Christine Graf

Vermont-based electrical product supplier Green Mountain Electric Supply is moving forward with plans to convert a 64,000-square-foot warehouse at 823 Main St. in Clifton Park into a wire cutting, storage, and assembly plant. 

The Saratoga Economic Development Corp. assisted the company in applying for tax incentives which have been awarded in the amount of $338,329. In addition to a $33,000 mortgage tax exemption, the company was awarded a $57,400 sales tax exemption and a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement that will amount to $247,929 over 10 years, officials said.

Green Mountain Electric Supply, a third-generation family-owned company, has been in business since 1953. Since that time, it has grown to include 20 locations throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York, and 280 employees. 

“We distribute electrical products meaning that we buy material from manufacturers or rep agencies and sell it mostly to commercial contractors,” said Luc Choquette, vice president of operations.

Among its products are large reels of copper wire that are cut and repackaged on smaller reels.