Connecticut's role as a national center of the BioScience industry received a major boost on Sept. 24 with the announcement of a major expansion in the state by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
        Boehringer Ingelheim, which already employs some 2,100 people at its Danbury-Ridgefield facility, will create between 500 and 700 new jobs as part of a $400 million to $500 million expansion over the next six years. The company's announcement is further evidence that even in challenging economic times, Connecticut remains a national "hot spot" for BioScience and technology companies.
        More than 16,500 people are employed in BioScience in Connecticut. Last year, even with the national economy virtually at a standstill, the state's BioScience industry grew 5 percent over the previous year, with rises in both employment and laboratory space. Connecticut-based pharmaceutical R&D companies now represent more than 12 percent of the United States' pharmaceutical R&D expenditures.
        For companies involved in BioScience and related high-tech industries, there are many reasons to consider moving to, or expanding in, Connecticut.
        The state's Office of BioScience, for instance, provides hand-on support and assistance for startups, existing companies, or out-of-state firms considering a move to Connecticut. It's a one-stop resource for all types of BioScience business development needs.
        The $55 million BioScience Facilities Fund, which is administered by Connecticut Innovations (CI), offers financial assistance in creating or expanding lab space. Recent changes in our tax laws, including the creation of a research and development tax credit exchange program that allows firms to trade in unused credits for cash, have made Connecticut a very friendly place for startup companies.
        Then there is Connecticut's unique system of industry clusters ­ among them aerospace, metal manufacturing, and information technology. A 'cluster' is a concentration of companies and industries in a geographic region that are interconnected by the markets they serve and the products they produce. In Connecticut, we believe that assisting key industries in a cluster setting improves their competitiveness and boosts the state's economy. BioScience was the first state cluster to be created in 1998.
        And of course, the well-known excellence of Connecticut's schools, universities, skilled workforce, recreation opportunities and quality of life means that forward-thinking companies are eager to move or expand here. It's a great place to grow a company ­ or raise a family.
        For a couple of years, our state's unofficial motto has been "You belong in Connecticut." The Boehringer Ingelheim expansion provides even more evidence that this is more than just a slogan on a bumper sticker or a T-shirt. It's a fact of life for companies that want to grow where the growing is good. – Kevin T. Crowley

        Kevin T. Crowley is Director of Business Development for the Connecticut Office
of BioScience and can be reached at 1-800-392-2122.