Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced a federal investment worth $1,889,890 for Syracuse University to support the development of the Thermal and Environmental Control Systems Cluster Accelerator in Syracuse – an effort to draw on the strengths of small- and medium-sized manufacturers in Central New York, and support job creation in the fields of high-tech and advanced manufacturing.
The investment comes from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, as well as four other participating federal agencies, after both Senators Schumer and Gillibrand advocated for Syracuse to secure the agency’s support.
“This massive federal investment is great news for Syracuse University and will serve as a catalyst for job creation and further private investment in the Syracuse University’s Thermal and Environmental Control Systems Cluster Accelerator,” said Senator Schumer. “I am thrilled that the Economic Development Administration and the other participating federal agencies have invested nearly $1.9 million in this University program, which aims to harness the Central New York’s strengths in education, technology development and high-tech manufacturing to create jobs.”
“America was built by New York’s manufacturing,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Our manufacturers powered our economy through the 20th century, and will be the key to fueling our economy in the 21st century. It’s time to see ‘Made In America’ again starting right here in New York. When we harness the full potential we have right here in Central New York, we can spark more growth in clean-tech and high-tech manufacturing by strengthening our businesses and attracting new businesses with our highly skilled, highly trained workforce, and create more family-supporting jobs right here where we need them the most.”
“From the Erie Canal to the Syracuse Center of Excellence, Central New York has a long legacy of pioneering innovations designed to meet the needs of our community, region, and world,” says Syracuse University Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “The significant support shown for the Advanced Manufacturing-Thermal and Environmental Central Systems Cluster Accelerator—by multiple agencies and partners—affirms both the immense wisdom of building on our long-standing historic strengths and the immense power of cross-sector engagement to drive economic prosperity.”
“We have a goal of doubling this region’s exports in the next five years, diversifying our economic base, increasing private investment and creating new jobs,” said Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “This grant will help us reach these goals by directly supporting export assistance to businesses as outlined in the CenterState Metropolitan Export Initiative. Critical to a successful implementation of this initiative is our ability to target and capture the compelling international growth markets for environmental systems businesses. We look forward to working with the CNY International Business Alliance and thank our partners at MACNY, the Syracuse Center of Excellence and Syracuse University for their support and collaboration in the successful application of this EDA grant.”
The investment for Syracuse University will be used to support the development of the Thermal and Environmental Control Systems Cluster Accelerator in Syracuse. The project will accelerate the rebirth of a cluster of small and medium-sized enterprises in Central New York that manufacture thermal and environmental control systems by strengthening cluster networks, enhancing links to sources of innovations, and increasing exports.
The project is funded through the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a national competition administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and Small Business Administration (SBA). All investments awarded under this Challenge are designed to support advanced manufacturing activities, help grow industry clusters by strengthening connections to regional economic development opportunities, enhance a region’s capacity to create high-quality sustainable jobs, develop a skilled advanced manufacturing workforce, encourage the development of small businesses, and accelerate technological innovation.
Senators Schumer and Gillibrand’s joint letter to Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine urging his support for Syracuse is attached.