manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing sector asking for more workforce training

Kate O'Connell — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Last year the U.S. Department of Labor awarded more than $14 million to the SUNY network of community colleges in upstate New York to develop work training programs for emerging industries. But, nearly one year on, the advanced manufacturing sector is asking for more, pointing to the skills gap as an ongoing issue.

Former New Venture Gear plant may have new tenant

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:33:42 +0000

The old New Venture Gear auto parts factory in suburban Syracuse could have a new tenant much quicker than county economic development officials expected.

A newly formed company called American Intermodal Container Manufacturing Inc. wants to use about half of the large factory to make shipping containers.

New Venture Gear concluded a long shutdown of its DeWitt plant in August. It once employed 4,000 people making parts for SUVs.

Program aims to promote manufacturing careers to students

Ashley Hassett — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:11:25 +0000

A new program aims to promote high-tech manufacturing careers in high schools across Western New York. Dream it, Do it WNY educates high school students about the broad range of careers available in the industry.

Chenango County named latest foreign trade zone in N.Y.

Matt Richmond — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:10:35 +0000

In March, the federal government awarded Chenango County, northeast of Binghamton, foreign trade zone status. That means county businesses can import goods without paying a tariff. They also pay a lower tariff if those goods are sold within the United States and no tariff if the final product is exported.

Auburn plant announces closure

Catherine Loper and Bethany Palmer — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:42:33 +0000

A manufacturing company in Auburn, N.Y. has announced it will be closing its doors by the end of 2014.

SUNY Adirondack, BOCES partner on high school program

Sarah Harris — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:00:12 +0000

SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, or BOCES, serving the surrounding counties are partnering on a new science and technology program for high school students.

Gillibrand introduces bill to boost high-tech manufacturing

Ashley Hassett — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:41:06 +0000

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has introduced a bill intended to boost high-tech manufacturing. The Democrat from New York visited the Harper International company outside Buffalo to discuss the Made in America Manufacturing Act, which is her first bill to go before the new Congress.

Gillibrand proud of Remington, but says backing it is up to Cuomo

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:14:14 +0000

Firearm manufacturer Remington Arms is a part of New York's long tradition of manufacturing, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says, but using taxpayer dollars to make sure they stay in upstate New York is up to the governor.

Massachusetts motor company brings new jobs to Glens Falls

Sarah Harris and sAR — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:00:51 +0000

New York Electric Motor Service, a small motor company based in Glens Falls, changed hands at the beginning of the year, and additional hiring is likely to follow.

Sale of Rochester clothing maker Hickey Freeman finalized

Kate O'Connell — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:02:55 +0000

The sale of the Hickey Freeman parent company was approved by the U.S Bankruptcy Court Wednesday. Authentic Brands Groups (ABG) and W-Diamond Corporation have been given the go ahead to purchase the intellectual and physical property of the company.

Schumer: 774 jobs will stay at CNY manufacturer after takeover

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:32:00 +0000

New York's senior senator, Charles Schumer, announced this afternoon that more than 700 jobs will remain at a manufacturer near Syracuse despite the company's recent takeover.

Innovate it here & make it here, say manufacturing experts

Kate O'Connell — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:53:09 +0000

Closing the gap between innovation and commercialization is the key to boosting the national economy. That is one of the messages at a manufacturing summit being held in Rochester this week. Industry leaders say economic growth triggered by American ideas needs to be kept within the United States' borders.

Lockport GM facility goes green

Kate O'Connell — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:26:40 +0000

A General Motors facility in western New York has announced they are going green. The site in Lockport makes heating and air conditioning components for GM radiators and is the 103rd facility for the company to become landfill-free.

Plastic maker breaks ground on expansion in Auburn

Ryan Delaney — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:59:09 +0000

The walls on the 55,000 square foot expansion started going up a few weeks ago, but company owners and state and local economic development officials still gathered Thursday at Currier Plastics in Auburn to throw some dirt around with gleaming shovels.

NY Fed says job opportunities growing in high and low skill sectors

Kate O'Connell — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 21:23:30 +0000

A new report from the New York Federal Reserve shows that advances in technology and globalization mean job opportunities are growing at both ends of the skill spectrum, but not in the middle.

Sikorsky Aircraft to close Big Flats plant

Matt Richmond — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 20:49:37 +0000

The Connecticut-based helicopter maker Sikorsky announced on Monday that it will close its Southern Tier plant at the end of the year.

Maffei calls for an end to free trade agreements

Ellen Abbott — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:41:30 +0000

Democratic Congressional candidate Dan Maffei used the almost-empty former New Process Gear factory in East Syracuse as a backdrop to call for policies that he says would bring more manufacturing jobs back to central New York. Maffei says NAFTA-like trade agreements are one reason the sprawling complex that once employed hundreds of central New Yorkers is now idle.

Crouse-Hinds shows off new lab built thanks to state aid

Ryan Delaney — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:45:16 +0000

The governor said he had trouble following along with all the new technology on display at Cooper Crouse-Hinds in Syracuse, but he was certainly impressed.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was given a close-up look at a new laboratory paid for with state aid at the 115 year old lighting manufacturer Friday.

Crouse-Hinds, which got its start making simpler devices like traffic lights, now makes lighting and electrical equipment suitable for harsh and hazardous environments.

In December, it won a $300,000 Excelsior tax credit from the Empire State Development Corp to renovate part of its site and put in the new lab.

GlobalFoundries announces $2.3 billion expansion

Marie Cusick — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:44:47 +0000

The massive GlobalFoundries computer chip manufacturing plant outside of Albany will soon grow even larger.

The company announced an additional $2.3 billion investment at its Malta site earlier this week.

Made in China: New York politicians speak up about Olympic uniforms

Karen Dewitt — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:33:33 +0000

The news that the U.S. Olympic teams uniforms will be made in China has stirred up New York’s politicians and business leaders.

Local labor unions rally to bring jobs back home

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:27:52 +0000

Local labor unions are calling for politicians to do more to stop jobs from going overseas and encourage companies to bring jobs home.

Local chapters of the United Steelworkers (USW) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organized a rally Friday afternoon outside the shuttered M&K Candle factory on Syracuse's Northside.

Syracuse candle maker rekindles old flame

Ryan Delaney — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Candles are again being made at a Syracuse factory that had made them for almost 100 years.

Three years after Will & Baumer closed up shop and moved its candle-making operation to Tennessee, a new manufacturer of devotional candles has taken over the old plant.

The new company - Light 4 Life Candles - is headed up by former Will & Baumer president Marshall Ciccone.

Ciccone and other company officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday.

"It's just very, very heartening to see kind of a new start," Ciccone said after the ceremony. "A new company, but doing the same kind of thing."

Manufacturing growth slows, but factory hiring continues

Ryan Delaney — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:27:51 +0000

The recent growth in New York's manufacturing sector has slowed, but economists say it's not all bad news.

"I wouldn't make too much out of just one month. It still is indicating growth," says Richard Deitz, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

On Monday, the New York Fed released the April edition of its Empire State Manufacturing Survey [PDF].

After four months of steady growth, the Fed's "business conditions index" saw a 14-point drop. Still, the overall outlook remains positive.

Deitz says manufacturing employment continued to increase, though unevenly in different parts of the state.

Gillibrand rallies against "unfair" Chinese trade practices

Ryan Delaney — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:58:53 +0000

Standing in a Syracuse union hall that will close later this year, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced support Monday for a bill that would allow the U.S. government to slap tariffs on foreign-made auto parts.

United Auto Workers Local 624 and 2149 once supported about 4,000 workers at nearby New Process Gear. The factory, which makes parts for SUVs, is also slated to shut down later this year.

Union leaders say Gillibrand's efforts may be too late for New Process Gear, but they could help other plants in upstate New York.