A manufacturer in Onondaga County building cooling equipment for quantum computing technology has the attention of the federal government. A U.S. Treasury Secretary paid a visit to Bluefors Wednesday to learn about the company and regional economy from local leaders and stakeholders.
Recent growth led to relocation and expansion of the East Syracuse factory with help from county and state incentives. In a roundtable discussion, Chief Business Officer Dan Ingesroll said the process is usually daunting, but not in this case.
“I've worked in other areas of the country where you don't get that assistance and it's really a challenge to get a grant," he told the gathering. "That's not the case here. These guys all rally around. They're almost like an extension of your team when you're going through that process.”
Chris Pilkerton is Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Investment Security and said he's been following Bluefors for some time. He said he's impressed with how government, business, and academic stakeholders are leveraging their expertise and resources in Central New York.
“I used to lead the Small Business Administration, and quite honestly, the best areas that I saw that were able to actually develop their communities really had a seamless integration," he said. "And that's what's happening here.”
He urged companies to take advantage of his department's Strategic Vendor Program for supply chains. It’s part of the Trump administration’s efforts to onshore more manufacturing.
“When you've got these big companies that are coming through, are they going to be looking at using a supply chain domestically? Are they going to go back overseas to maybe where they've got those relationships?" Pilkerton said. "We're trying to demonstrate to these companies that we have a very vibrant supply chain here domestically.”
It’s prompting local leaders like Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon to think ahead as Bluefors and the region anticipate significant growth.
“How do we create these supply chains, and how do we look at strategic partnerships we can build off so this company can continue to grow and help secure critical industry in the country," he said.
The Bluefors plant employs about 150 people and is planning yet another expansion.
