Week in Review: July 13 – 17, 2020
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CEG IN THE NEWS
REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS
$100 million Amazon warehouse nears completion in Rensselaer County
“The $100 million Amazon distribution center being built in Rensselaer County is nearing completion and will be fully on the tax rolls despite the developer’s initial request for $13.7 million worth of tax breaks.
The 1 million-square-foot distribution center is easily seen from Route 9 in the rural town of Schodack, but to get a sense for the massive scale it helps to have a bird’s-eye view.”
Businesses adapt to survive in an altered landscape
“Few businesses escaped the first half of 2019 unscathed and even fewer can guess what lies ahead in the second half.
Inventory shortages, employee layoffs, skittish customers, months-long shutdowns and — most of all — the need to keep healthy and safe have all increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former Informz execs start new tech company
“Before Terry Nawrot and Joe Tyler sold email marketing company Informz in 2017, they strived to better the company through customer and employee feedback.
But tracking the data with spreadsheets, Word documents and back-and-forth emails kept them from understanding and learning everything they could from that feedback.”
College chooses Albany NanoTech for new $37 million biopharmaceutical training center
“The Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ $37 million Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training will be located at the Albany NanoTech Complex alongside SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
Word of the location for the new center — aimed at preparing students for jobs at companies like Regeneron — arrived this week with news that ACPHS and SUNY Poly are partnering on educational and research programming.”
Retired UAlbany scientist fighting COVID with new HVAC tech
“Want to make your house safer during the pandemic while saving a lot of money on your air conditioning and heating bills?
Former University at Albany scientist Pradeep Haldar has a solution for you.”
NSF awards UAlbany prof $1.24M for research on memories
“U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko announced Monday that the National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.24 million grant to University at Albany biological sciences professor Annalisa Scimemi to research how certain hormones impact cognition and memories.
The research is being done in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association.”
New cidery to open in Catskill
“In the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis, a new business was scheduled to open its doors in the village Friday.
After more than a year in preparation, Catskill entrepreneurs Tim and Anna Graham and their friend Dave Snyder are sent to welcome patrons to Left Banks Ciders.”
Common Roots moves back to rebuilt brewery, 15 months after fire
“Fifteen months ago, the Webers watched their dreams burn down. The building they had renovated with their own hands, the brewery they had built — everything was gone.
On Tuesday, they got it all back, and more.”
Green Island company triples production for UV LED that kills viruses and bacteria
“Crystal IS released an LED product in 2018 that decontaminates water and surfaces using ultraviolet light. Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, demand for the product has tripled.
It’s the opposite of what the Green Island company had been preparing for.”
Albany biopharma training center’s goal: Grow a ‘hub’ of companies upstate
“The Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ new Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training will begin programming this fall as part of an effort to grow the drug development sector in upstate New York.
CBET’s first phase includes the establishment of lab, classroom and office space at the Albany NanoTech Complex alongside SUNY Polytechnic Institute.”
Transfinder gets boost, hires 14 with new product release
“When schools across the country closed in mid-March and teachers began conducting classes remotely, students no longer needed to ride school buses every day.
That created a level of uncertainty for Transfinder, which creates software that helps districts determine the best school bus routes while tracking fuel consumption, maintenance costs and vehicle replacement.”
Mohawk moving up to $20 million in manufacturing work from Massachusetts to New York
“Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. is moving between $12 million and $20 million in annual paper production from North Adams, Massachusetts, to its campus off Route 787 in Cohoes, New York.
The fourth-generation paper maker has listed its 14-acre, 100,000-square-foot North Adams plant for sale with Cushman & Wakefield as Mohawk reimagines the 220-year-old Crane Stationery business that it acquired two years ago. Crane is known for high-grade wedding and event invitations, premium business paper and greeting cards.”
Capital Region pandemic toll: 55,000 jobs
“The Capital Region in June had 55,000 fewer jobs than it did a year earlier, illustrating the deep impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the area’s economy.
The state Labor Department Thursday said the number of employees in all industries fell to 420,900 in June, down from 475,900 a year earlier. One bright spot: June’s figure represented an increase of 12,500 jobs from May. The figures cover the five-county Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area that includes Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady and Schoharie counties.”
