The 2001 Corporation for Enterprise Development named the Constitution State as one of the top states for overall excellence in economic development on the Enterprise Development Report Card for the States (www.cfed.org). Connecticut's high ranking may be attributed to the state's investment in its innovative industry cluster programs. "In terms of dollar impact, we estimate that in the past 3 years we have invested $8.6 million in cluster development, which has in turn leveraged nearly $89.4 million in private and other public investments," says James Abromaitis, commissioner of Connecticut's Dept. of Economic and Community Development.
      Launched in October of 1998, Connecticut's bioscience cluster was the first cluster program initiated by the state and overseen by Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE). Connecticut bioscience research and development expenditures have grown to more than $3 billion annually. "Connecticut's Industry Cluster Initiative has fundamentally changed the way we as a state think about the competitiveness of our business, industries and workers," adds Abromaitis. "It is helping us develop a blueprint for future economic growth."
      The $294 million Pfizer research facility will house 2,100 employees, a child-care facility, credit union, fitness center, heliport and ferry dock. The 22-acre (8.9-hec.) redeveloped brownfield will house Pfizer's research and development facility for cutting-edge investigations into cures for diseases.
      Pfizer officials recognize the local impact the new center will have in the area. "It will be a pipeline of new medicines, a living environmental laboratory for our community, and a magnet for new business," says executive vice president of Pfizer Global Research and Development, George M. Milne, Ph.D.
      Biosciences have recently received an additional $20 million in Connecticut funding, increasing the state BioScience Facilities Fund to $60 million. The fund promotes expansion of the biotech sector by financing lab and research and development space. The Connecticut legislature recently created a bioscience office within the Dept. of Economic Development and established a bioscience ambassador, an industry leader, to work to advise the Dept. of Economic Development on biotech issues.
      Ernest & Young's biotechnology report ranks Connecticut seventh in the nation according to population with respect to the number of biotechnology companies working within the state. According to Stephen Buckley Jr., New England director of Ernest & Young's Life Science Practice, all three important components of the bioscience industry -- international pharmaceutical companies, emerging biotechnology companies and nationally acclaimed academic research institutions -- are all located in Connecticut. "This gives Connecticut a distinct advantage over other states that may have only one or two of these segments," he adds.
      Governor John G. Rowland just launched a campaign promoting the state as a high-tech hot spot. "Firms that are already here will tell you, Connecticut is a remarkable location for bioscience and information technology companies," says Gov. Rowland. A new marketing effort to high-tech industries across the nation sends a message that innovation and opportunities can be found in the Constitution State. "We are competing on a global level and industry should look very closely at Connecticut for their next relocation or expansion," adds Gov. Rowland.
      Connecticut is not just recruiting biotech and high-tech companies. Five other industry clusters have been identified by the state including aerospace, tourism, software/information technologies, metal manufacturing and most recently the maritime cluster. In January of 2001 the maritime cluster initiative was launched by the Connecticut Maritime Coalition to promote maritime transportation, manufacturing and services of maritime industries, recreation and commercial fishing. The coalition has 21 members and hopes to revitalize the state's many waterfront cities and ease congestion on Connecticut's I-95 corridor through waterborne transportation.
      Connecticut's Defense and Aerospace industries are scoring big. The aerospace cluster, launched in 1999, is under the direction of the Connecticut Aerospace Components Manufacturers and is made up of 33 manufacturers from the industry. Already the initiative is marking some success. "The companies that comprise the Aerospace Components Manufacturers cluster have seen productivity increases of up to 25 percent due to our lean manufacturing initiative," notes Abromaitis.
      The group focuses on such areas as workforce development, progressive manufacturing, and identifying future opportunities in the worldwide aerospace industry. "This is a very important industry in Connecticut," says John Lavieri, president of Sterling Engineering in Barkhampsted. "There are a lot of jobs across the state that are dependent on the success of the aerospace component manufacturers. The success of these companies -- many of which are small, family-owned businesses -- is central to the economic viability and success of Connecticut."
      Connecticut's defense industries just hit a big mark. The U.S. Navy announced in December of 2001 that it has awarded Electric Boat Corp. a $42.3 million contract for modification work on nuclear submarines. Company officials say that 82 percent of the work will be performed at the firm's Groton location. State officials say this will be a boon to the local economy.