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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 20, 2004
GOVERNOR: BEDDING
COMPANY TO CREATE 240 NEW JOBS IN NEW BALTIMORE
New Serta Mattress Factory to Bring Jobs, New Development to New
Baltimore
Governor George E. Pataki today announced that National Bedding Company
LLC, the nation's largest Serta licensee, will build a manufacturing
plant in the Town of New Baltimore in Greene County. The company will
invest approximately $11.25 million and will create 240 new jobs in the
Columbia County Empire Zone. The company currently owns and operates a
factory in Jamestown.
"National Bedding Company's decision to construct a new manufacturing
plant and create 240 new jobs is another example of how our Empire
Zones program and efforts to help manufacturers are resulting in new
jobs for New York families," Governor Pataki said. "As we move forward
with our aggressive new five-point manufacturing plan, we will continue
to help manufacturers like National Bedding expand their operation and
will be well-poised to meet our ambitious goal of creating one million
new jobs by the end of the decade."
"National Bedding is in the business of helping people get a good
night's rest, we're not resting in our efforts to improve the economy
and create new job opportunities for the people of Greene County and
across New York State," Governor Pataki added. "The 240 new jobs being
created will have a tremendous impact in generating new investment and
activity across the area, and I commend the company for building their
future right here in Upstate New York."
Senator James Seward said, "This is a great day for jobs in Greene
County. Today's announcement that Serta National will be coming to
Greene County to open a manufacturing facility means more than 200 new
manufacturing jobs for area residents and substantial, long-term
investment in the Greene County economy. I congratulate the Governor,
the Greene County IDA, and Empire State Development for bringing
everything together to make these jobs a reality for Greene County."
Greene County Legislative Chairman Frank Stabile, Jr. said, "I would
like to recognize the many partners that made this deal possible.
Governor Pataki and his people at Empire State Development have done a
tremendous job and our State Senator James Seward is always at our side
providing valuable assistance. Our local IDA under the leadership of
Willis Vermilyea has once again delivered on their mandate of creating
jobs and local tax base. Lastly, our close friends in Columbia County
have once again helped us seal a deal with a cooperative sharing of
their Empire Zone benefits. I want to express a sincere thank you to
Board of Supervisors Chair, Jerry Simons and the counties economic
development leaders."
David Louis, Supervisor, Town of New Baltimore, said, "We're very happy
to welcome Serta to the Town of New Baltimore. It is a very exciting
project not only for the town but for the surrounding area as well. We
look forward to working with Serta to continue to build upon an already
strong relationship."
Greene County IDA Chairman Willis Vermilyea said, "The creation of 240
new jobs with full benefit packages is a significant element of this
deal and the families of Greene County will benefit from these improved
employment opportunities for many years to come."
The planned factory will be 232,000-square-feet, located on 16 acres,
in the Kalkberg Commerce Park. The plans allow for a 50,000-square-foot
addition in the future. When fully operational, the plant will employ
approximately 240 people in manufacturing, administration, shipping and
sales. The jobs will offer a mix of hourly and salaried positions with
the majority filled locally.
Greene County has made arrangements to acquire Empire Zone acreage from
Columbia County specifically for this project. The cooperation between
the two counties will allow Zone benefits to be offered which was
essential to making this announcement possible.
Richard Yulman, co-Chairman of National Bedding Company, Serta's
largest licensee, said, "We have a long-standing history of business
and partnership with the State of New York. Our operations in New York
allow us to serve much of the northeast, and benefit from the economic
initiatives put forth by the State. The State of New York and its
citizens made our selection of this location easy. Governor Pataki and
The Greene County Industrial Development Agency, and the Town of New
Baltimore have made Serta feel welcome in this decision. We look
forward to many years of being an important part of this community."
While the plant is under construction, the company will open a
temporary manufacturing facility in nearby Coxsackie, located at 69
Baily St. The 132,000-square-foot facility will undergo a significant
renovation and will employ approximately 80 people while the new plant
is being completed.
Charles A. Gargano, Chairman of Empire State Development, said, "In New
York State, we continue to build a record of success in getting
companies to not only stay in our state but also to expand and grow. It
is this type of pro-business environment that is helping us to exceed
other states in the creation of new jobs."
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman
said, "Thanks to the support of Governor Pataki, the Industrial Access
Program has been able to help finance necessary transportation
infrastructure projects that have helped businesses throughout New York
thrive and prosper. We look forward to providing assistance that will
help Serta and attract other business interests to this important
park."
Glen King, Director of the Governor's Office for Small Cities said,
"Today's announcement is great news and is another example of Governor
Pataki's continued commitment to sound fiscal policies that will
significantly improve New York's economy. This project offers an
important opportunity to invest in the Town of New Baltimore and
represents an effort to move forward with the Governor's vision for
creating jobs and a bright future for all New Yorkers."
Depending on completion of necessary federal and state approvals, the
company plans for the facility to be built by September 2005 and fully
operational by late winter or early spring.
National Bedding has operated a facility in Jamestown since 1998. With
20 plants in North America and more than $600 million in annual sales,
the company employs more than 4,000 people nationwide. Serta is the
second-largest bedding manufacturer in the country with $742 million in
annual sales in 2004, and maker of the famous Perfect Sleeper mattress.
In consideration of the company's commitment to New York State,
National Bedding Company, LLC, is eligible to apply to Empire State
Development for a $325,000 Working Capital grant and a $400,000 STRAP
(Training) Grant. The company is also eligible to apply for a
Governor's Office of Small Cities working capital grant of $75,000 in
addition to funds it is providing to the Greene County IDA for site
work.
Greene County is invited to apply for Industrial Access Program (IAP)
funding, provided through the New York State Department of
Transportation, to assist with the access road infrastructure costs
related to making the site ready for National Bedding and other
businesses. In addition to the 16 acre Serta National site,
approximately 54 additional soon to be "shovel ready" acres targeted
for development will benefit from anticipated infrastructure
improvements. Up to $1 million is available from the IAP program with
funding divided into a 60% grant and 40% zero interest loan payable
ratio.
In addition to promoting sound economic programs and initiatives to
help manufacturers and other businesses succeed, Governor Pataki has
proposed an aggressive new plan specifically designed to strengthen New
York's manufacturers. His plan includes a new, targeted manufacturing
job-training assistance program -- NY SMART -- which will provide
manufacturers with the support they need to maintain and enhance the
skills of their employees. The Governor has also announced another
critical element of his manufacturing plan -- dramatic new reforms to
the State's workers' compensation system that would reduce workers'
compensation costs for businesses by more than 15 percent. The new
reforms come on top of the historic workers' compensation reforms the
Governor fought to achieve in 1996, which already have reduced costs by
nearly 30 percent on average.
Other key components of the Governor's new manufacturing plan include:
providing a new "Single Sales Factor" tax benefit for manufacturers;
extending the highly successful Power for Jobs program; and creating a
new Manufacturing Assistance Program - MAP - that will coordinate
Federal, State and local assistance programs and will link
manufacturing companies to the appropriate research and development
grant funding.
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