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State, Congressional Leaders Celebrate
North Atlantic Distribution's Newest
Auto Processing Facility
Rhode Island's State and Congressional leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of North Atlantic Distribution's (NORAD) newest auto processing facility at the Port of Davisville today. Consistently one of the Top 10 auto ports in North America, the Port of Davisville has experienced growth of 547% over the past 20 years and recently announced its sixth consecutive record breaking year for automobiles imported at the Port of Davisville in 2015. The event was attended by many of Rhode Island's elected leaders, including: Governor Gina M. Raimondo, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, U.S. Representative David Cicilline, State Senator Bill Walaska, and others.
Governor Raimondo included a $90 million proposal in her state budget this year to modernize and upgrade Pier 2 at the Port of Davisville. Built in 1956, the pier had a design life of 50 years. The investment would solidify Davisville's position as the premiere marine commercial gateway to New England, and add an additional 50 years to the pier's useful life. It would also preserve hundreds of jobs in the maritime sector, create 975 construction jobs, and keep Rhode Island competitive with other ports in the region.
"The Port of Davisville is one of our state's most important assets. One of the Top 10 auto importers in North America, the Port marked its 6th consecutive record breaking year of auto imports in 2015," Governor Raimondo said. "Davisville is showing the world that Rhode Island may be small, but we are a major player in the global economy. That is why we need to make prudent investments in our infrastructure, and ensure their continued success for the long-term. By leveraging our assets, we can attract more successful companies like NORAD to grow their businesses here, create jobs, and invest in Rhode Island."
To see the full press release from the event,
click here.
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Governor Raimondo's $90 Million
Proposal Invests in the Success of
Quonset's Port of Davisville
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The Port of Davisville's Pier 2 in the foreground
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Governor Gina Raimondo introduced a
$90 million proposal to modernize Quonset's Port of Davisville in her state budget address to the General Assembly last month. It's a major investment in the ongoing success at the Port of Davisville, which ensures continued momentum and future job growth at this key economic asset.
The investment will be made in two parts - a $70 million general obligation bond and a $20 million revenue bond. Based upon the successful model used for the dredging project completed in 2012, the revenue bond will be repaid exclusively by the
Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) and port users. This bond will fund a portion of the port improvement initiative at no cost to state taxpayers.
"This project is a critical undertaking for our state. It is a 5 year capital improvement program which will modernize the Port and provide a new 50-year life cycle to Pier 2," said King. "Our success at Quonset is due in large part to both the public and private sectors investing together in this state asset. This project will be another key example of that."
King testified before the Senate Finance Committee earlier this week, providing members with a more detailed briefing of the project,
which can be seen here.
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Rhode Island Manufacturers Association and makeRI to host 3rd Annual Manufacturing Workforce Summit on March 9
There are more than 200 companies employing nearly 11,000 workers at the Quonset Business Park today. Nearly half of those jobs are in manufacturing, with positions in submarine making, 3D printing, fine thin film production and more. One of the key leaders promoting the growth of Rhode Island's manufacturing industry is the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association (RIMA), led by its President and CEO, Bill McCourt.
On March 9, RIMA and its sister organization, makeRI (Manufacturing Skills Initiative) will host their 3rd Annual Manufacturing Workforce Summit. This year's summit will focus on delivering "Best Practices" of workforce development in the field of manufacturing to companies seeking the best available resources.
The symposium will be comprised of five best practices sessions and each session will be presented by industry partner employers who best represent each of the five categories.
The day's program will also include a luncheon with keynote speaker, Jennifer McNelly, Executive Director of the Manufacturing Institute. The Institute is the Washington DC-based authority on the attraction, qualification, and development of world-class manufacturing talent.
To learn more about the Summit and register for the event, click here.
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