News stories tagged with "manufacturing"

(10/28/11) The North Country Regional Economic Development Council has posted a draft of its strategic plan--and it includes supporting controversial long term federal projects such as the Rooftop Highway.

It also sets out seven visions for the North Country including: the construction of growth in the aerospace, defense, biotech and other industries; increasing the region's profile as a special destination to visit, live, work and study; creating the greenest economy in the state; and starting an agriculture revolution.

The North Country Council is one of ten around New York created by Governor Andrew Cuomo to compete for millions of dollars in state funding. Garry Douglas is co-chair. He says the draft plan was created after a series of public hearings. Before submitting the final proposal to Albany, he wants people to review the plan online.

"Because there's not time between now and November 14 to go out and do another whole round of hearings. So it's going to be website dependent. People that have interest go there, look at them, and then comment via the website. That's really what folks need to do."

The website is North Country Open For Business - dot - com.

(09/28/11) Gov Cuomo opened the regional economic development conference in Albany yesterday with an announcement of a $4.4 billion dollar investment in high tech chip fabrication plants across upstate New York, and he predicts it will bring nearly 7000 jobs. Karen DeWitt has more: more

(06/06/11) One of the Adirondack Park's most important furniture makers is closing its doors and will lay off 11 full time employees.

Old Adirondack, located in Willsboro, made the announcement last week.

Brian Mann reports. more

(05/30/11) One of the North Country's largest manufacturers has won a contract worth more than $230 million to build buses for use in New York City.

Novabus, headquartered in Canada, will build hundreds of new buses at its plant in Plattsburgh over the next three years.

As Brian Mann reports, that will allow the company's American employees to go back to work full-time. more

(03/31/11) Last week, the first freighter of the year rumbled up the St. Lawrence River. That marked the 53rd season of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a man-made channel linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.

The Seaway's billion dollars of commerce is mostly an economic conversation between Canada's southern coast, America's Midwest, and the far-flung ports of the world.

But it's caused vast environmental damage in the North Country and across the Great Lakes, largely via invasive species.

David Sommerstein went to the Seaway's opening ceremony last week in Montreal. He sends this report on the Seaway's delicate balance between the economy and the environment. more

(03/30/11) The not-for-profit that has spearheaded the push for an Interstate highway between Watertown and Plattsburgh is under fire. Massena's mayor says the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena hasn't been audited in 8 years and isn't doing enough to create jobs. David Sommerstein reports. more

(03/21/11) The leader of one of the world's largest aluminum producers came to Massena Friday with good news. 115 workers are back on the job after a year-and-a-half shutdown of Alcoa East's three pot lines. Senator Chuck Schumer joined Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld for a hero's welcome. As David Sommerstein reports, the visit brought hope about Alcoa's long-term future in the North Country. more

(03/14/11) A proposal to tax the rich to help balance the state's budget deficit and avoid cuts to schools is a popular idea among New Yorkers. But business groups say what's often overlooked in the debate is that the tax, in its current form, is paid by some of the state's smallest and most marginal businesses. Karen Dewitt Reports from Albany.

(03/10/11) New York's Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make the Power For Jobs program permanent. The newly named "Recharge NY" program would double in size by using electricity that had been allocated to small residential energy bill discounts. It would still offer low-cost power to hundreds of companies across the state in return for job commitments. The new version of the program would also set aside $8 million to offer power discounts for farmers. The now goes before the state Assembly.

Republican Joe Griffo says the bill is one success in what he calls a "very hectic" session. Griffo says lawmakers are scrambling to finish budget bills while trying to avoid the "three-men-in-a-room" process that's given Albany such a bad name. "To debate these issues in public between both houses and hopefully arrive on a consensus so we can have an on-time budget," Griffo says. "I think everybody is trying to work together and do the best we can despite our philosophic differences."

Those differences include how much to cut education spending and how to make redistricting less partisan.

Griffo represents the 47th Senate district, which stretches from Utica in the south, though Lewis County and the eastern half of St. Lawrence County to Massena. He told David Sommerstein making the popular Power For Jobs program permanent is an important step forward.

(01/07/11) There were cheers this morning in Massena, where Alcoa officials just told workers the company will reopen its East smelter after a two-year furlough.

The company will hold a press conference to make the news official at 11 this morning. Alcoa will recall 95 workers who were laid off and hire another 20 to 30 new employees.

Company spokeswoman Laurie Marr said this morning those rehires will begin immediately.

Low aluminum prices as a result of the recession were also a factor in the extended furlough. Prices have been rising steadily in the last several months.

Massena Mayor James Hidy told the Watertown Daily Times the news is "a morale boost for the whole community."

Meanwhile, a planned modernization of the plant has been put on hold. As a part of its low cost power contract, Alcoa was to have invested 600 million dollars into the facility. But the New York Power Authority agreed to let Alcoa put off that project until 2013.