IV. Revitalize the Manufacturing Sector


For New York manufacturers to remain competitive in a global economy and provide stable employment opportunities to their employees, they must be able to quickly adapt to a rapidly changing technological climate.
  • Manufacturers must manage innovations in production technology, introduce new and efficient production and management systems, and assume risks in developing new products.
  • Manufacturers must also have accessibility to global markets in order to maximize their commercial potential.
The Assembly Majority’s plan supports the designation and funding of industrial retention activities in each region which would network the resources of Local Development Corporations, Technology Development Organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, unions, and not-for-profit organizations to assist companies in need of technical support.

The Assembly also provides incentives for the development of new industrial space and renovation of outmoded space in areas where there is a shortage.

  1. Industrial Retention Network/Move Smart Program
    $4.3 million
The Industrial Retention Network would provide critical business assistance to manufacturing firms, including real estate assistance to help companies identify appropriate space, obtain financing and other services, as well as help companies expand and make capital improvements to their existing facilities.

It would provide a range of transitional services to owners of manufacturing firms as they approach retirement to enable them to find appropriate buyers willing to continue manufacturing operations.

The Move Smart program would establish an electronic database of real estate listings and manufacturers seeking space. It would help companies define their future space needs, plan their relocations, create new plant layouts, and provide technical support throughout the moving process.

It would establish a Trust for Industrial Space that would provide financial assistance to companies forced to relocate or seeking to upgrade their current facilities.

  1. University of Buffalo Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation
    $2.5 million
The UB Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation will provide industrial outreach, training and education, and basic research in the fields of engineering design and high-end visualization, which is the future of high-tech product development.

New York manufacturers will gain a competitive advantage through the use of immersive systems that model and visualize complex data in 3-D, match motion to vision using the motion-base simulation environment, and explore complex designs from all sides.

  1. Technology Development Organizations
    $4 million
Technology Development Organizations (TDOs) help strengthen regional economies by providing services to manufacturers seeking to become more efficient, effective and competitive.

Their services include technical assistance to manufacturers on how to reduce operating costs, improve profitability, better focus energy and resources, and develop new markets.

The program also leverages federal funds through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Program.

  1. Centers for Remanufacturing
    $1 million
Remanufacturing is the highest form of recycling. It is the process of recovering the component parts of end-of-life products, restoring them to a “like-new” condition, and returning those parts or products to service. Remanufactured products are less expensive and less likely to clog up our waste stream.
  1. International Trade
As the speed of telecommunications reduces the distance between producers of goods and consumers, the State must take advantage of its proximity to Canada and other trading partners within our hemisphere and also look to new partners in emerging markets. The Assembly Majority’s plan would include:
  1. Promotion of Local Coordination of International Trade
    $250,000
Recognizing that New York’s borders serve as ports of entry from many Canadian locations, the Assembly Majority would work with federal, State, and local officials to promote a coordinated, seamless system of assistance for international trade. By eliminating redundancies, New York businesses would see greater cross-border sales.
  1. Promote State/Local Partnerships
    $250,000
The Assembly Majority would create partnerships with local economic developers and the business community to support international trade assistance. The establishment of federal Foreign Trade Zones at or adjacent to ports of entry in the State currently without this designation, for which the State could provide assistance, would result in a significant increase in international trade.

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