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For Immediate Release
April 28, 2005

 

CBIA's Manufacturing & Technology Day


State companies showcase products "Manufactured in Connecticut"

Connecticut manufacturing has changed from its old image of dirty and noisy factories to one of clean rooms, new technologies, developing products and greater participation in the global marketplace.

Legislators and public officials will see some of the changes when more than 40 manufacturers from around Connecticut showcase their products and manufacturing tehcnologies, and demonstrate the diversity of goods manufactured in-state at the Connecticut Business & Industry Association's Manufacturing & Technology Day.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005
State Capitol - Hall of Flags and North Lobby
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

CBIA says manufacturing is more productive, innovative and critical to Connecticut's eocnomy than ever before. The association points out that Connecticut has about 5,300 manufacturing establishments, who employ nearly 200,000 workers. These workers earned $11 billion in wages and salaries annually. Each new manufacturing job creates the need for up to three additional jobs in our economy. Manufacturers bring new money into the state by selling their products outside the state's borders, which helps grow the state's economy for everyone.

"But manufacturing also faces historic challenges. More needs to be done to preserve manufacturing jobs in the state and strengthen the economy," says Joseph Brennan, CBIA senior vice president of public policy. Brennan says fierce global competition often prevents manufaturers from raising prices, even though costs continue to rise. Manufacturers must also compete on an uneven global playing field. The problems are threatening the viability of manufacturing in Connecticut.

Another problem facing manufacturers is the shortage of skilled workers in Connecticut. In a recent CBIA survey, manufacturers said they are having a difficult time filling positions, including tool and die makers, CNC programmers, engineers, and CAD/CAM workers. The survey also found that the demand for their jobs will continue over the next two to five years.

Answering the call for highly skilled workers is the new Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Representatives from the Center will have a booth at Manufacturing & Technology Day to show how its programs provide resources to educators and students to help them meet the challenges of advanced manufacturing. The Center is directed by the Connecticut College of Technology, a virtual organization representing technology curriculum geared toward engineering and technician training offered at Connecticut's 12 community colleges.

Some of the companies attending Manufacturing & Technology Day that will be available to discuss the challenges and the future of the industry include:

Aero Gear, Inc., Windsor
Ahlstrom FiberComposites, Windsor Locks
Alinabal Holdings Corp., Milford
Al's Beverage Co., Canaan
BD (Becton Dickinson), Canaan
Bilco Co., New Haven
Calzone Case Co., Bridgeport
Cytec Industires, Wallingford
Dow Chemical Co., Gales Ferry
Electric Boat Corp., Groton
Fairchild Auto-Mated Parts, Inc., Winsted
Frito-Lay, Inc., Dayville
Gerber Scientic Inc., South Windsor
Hitchcock Chair Co., LTD, Barkhamsted
Hoover Precision Products, Inc., East Granby
Horst Engineering & Mfg. Co., East Hartford
Inframat, Corp, Farmington
International Creative Data Inc., Waterbury
Kaman Music, New Hartford
Keeper Corp., North Windham
Memry Corp., Bethel
Monsanto, Co., Mystic
Mott Corp., Farmington
Munson's Candy Kitchen, Inc., Bolton
Okay Industries, Inc., New Britain
Penmar Industries Inc., Norwalk
Pitney Bowes, Inc., Newtown
Protein Sciences, Corp., Meriden
Proton Energy Systems, Inc., Wallingford
Rand-Whitney Containerboard, Montville
Royal Precision, Inc., Torrington
Scan-Optics, Inc., Manchester
Siemon Co., Watertown
Timken Corp., Torrington
Trumpf Inc., Farmington
United Technologies Corp., Hartford
Vitta Corp, Bethel
Whelen Engineering Co., Inc., Chester
Xerox Corp, Stamford.

CBIA is Connecticut's largest business organization, with 10,000 members.

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Media wishing to attend the event should contact Nancy Andrews, CBIA media relations manager, at 860-244-1957 or andrews@cbia.com.


The Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education program. Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.