Rep. Slaughter Secures Economic Development Grant to Fund Energy Innovation at Eastman Business Park

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter
Ranking Member, House Committee on Rules
Representing New York’s 25th District

MEDIA CONTACT
Katie LaShomb (585)232-4850

Slaughter Brought Federal Official to Rochester Last Year;
Project to Leverage $50 million Worth of Manufacturing Tools to Grow EBP Tenants, Attract New Companies

ROCHESTER – Today, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) announced an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant that will fund the Innovation, Manufacturing and Materials Science Institute at Eastman Business Park (EBP). More than $1.2 million in public and private funding will be used to launch a program that will assist innovative energy companies, including current and prospective tenants at EBP, in accelerating commercialization of their technology.

In May, Congresswoman Slaughter brought Andrew Reid, the EDA’s Representative for New York and Pennsylvania to tour EBP. When the Rochester Business Journal asked if Mr. Reid had made any funding commitments, Rep. Slaughter responded, “we can work on him when we get him back to Washington.” After six months of advocacy, including submitting a letter of support for EBP’s application and facilitating multiple calls between the agency and the park, Rep. Slaughter was able to secure the $610,000 grant, which will be matched by private funding.

“Eastman Business Park is one of our region’s greatest economic assets and is already becoming a magnet for new high-tech energy companies and the jobs that come with those businesses,” said Rep. Slaughter. “Our strategy of securing federal investments to support the park and attract new companies to the region is paying off, and I will continue to work tirelessly to create new jobs in our region. I thank Andrew Reid of the Economic Development Administration for coming to tour the park in May and for his attention to our region’s economic needs. I look forward to a productive relationship with EDA going forward.”

“We appreciate the efforts of Congresswoman Slaughter, whose steadfast support for Eastman Business Park and the Innovation, Manufacturing and Materials Science Institute grant is an essential component in the success of this initiative,” said Kelly Mandarano, Marketing Director for Eastman Business Park. “Federal funding for this program can help us leverage the park’s unique manufacturing infrastructure and skilled workforce to support the growth of innovative energy companies and attract new businesses to the region.”

The $610,000 award will help fund a more than $1.2 million program administered by the Innovation, Manufacturing and Material Science Institute (IMMSI) at EBP. The IMMSI will leverage $50 million worth of development tools and its highly skilled workforce to provide:

• Support for technology developers on the journey from concept to commercialization with access to a deep materials-science knowledge base, a suite of development, pilot scale, and high volume manufacturing tools as well as other established manufacturing assets.
• An extensive physical infrastructure to support manufacturing low cost electrical power, an adequate supply of fresh water, as well as a regional workforce, made available to help accelerate middle-stage technology companies, allowing them to develop their businesses from the lab-scale prototype stages of innovation to the later stages of production and commercialization.
• Expert guidance for companies and individuals that will also help to remove roadblocks on the path to commercialization-so full focus can be placed on bringing product to market as quickly as possible.