Hudson Valley Region, April 2011
Firm Expansions and Contractions
This briefing is intended to provide information on firm-specific hiring and layoff announcements in the Hudson Valley. Information in this report is derived from press releases, newspapers, business journals, newsletters, and other public sources. It does not include all expansions and contractions in the region – only those for which public information has been obtained. An attempt is made to present only current information – events that have recently occurred or will in the near future.
Business Expansions
New this Month
Dutchess CountyM&T recently announced that it has initiated a $10 million expansion. M&T will open a new branch in Newburgh and also create a regional processing center in Fishkill that will process checks and other materials. The processing facility will be built at the bank's regional headquarters on Jackson Street, with a scheduled opening in late 2nd quarter or early 3rd.
Orange County - Nothing to report.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County - Nothing to report.
Sullivan County - Nothing to report.
Ulster County - Nothing to report.
Westchester County
Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. plans to remain in Westchester County. They considered moving to other states, including New Jersey and Nebraska. Kawasaki will instead invest $25 million in its Yonkers facility and retain all of its estimated 375 employees. The company is getting a $500,000 grant from Empire State Development Corporation.
New Last Month
Dutchess County - Nothing to report.
Orange County - Nothing to report.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County - Nothing to report.
Sullivan County
Wal-Mart’s plan to build a 132,00 square-foot store in the town of Wawarsing is one step closer to reality as a state Appellate Court panel dismissed a suit that was filed by ShopRite and some local residents to stop the company from building the store. It is estimated that the new store will create 250 full and part-time jobs, with a starting pay of about $10 per hour.
Ulster County - Nothing to report.
Westchester County - Pepsi Beverages Company, the bottling Division of PepsiCo will keep its headquarters in Somers. The company was being wooed by Connecticut and there was indication that it might leave, taking with it an estimated 900 jobs. The company will remain in Somers through 2015, with the option to extend its lease for an additional 5 years. PepsiCo will also expand its current office space from 390,000 square feet to 540,000 square feet, while retaining its current workforce and adding an additional 22 jobs.
Business Contractions
New this Month
Dutchess County - Nothing to report.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Orange County
The Elant at Goshen Home Care Agency is outsourcing its home and personal care services and as a result will lay off an estimated 77 employees.
Rockland County - Nothing to report.
Sullivan County - Nothing to report.
Ulster County - Nothing to report.
Westchester County
Westchester County lost a long-shot bid to lure the U.S. headquarters of Bayer AG from New Jersey to Tarrytown. The company took some $38 million in incentives from New Jersey and is now considering sites in Wayne, Morristown and Montville.
Our Lady of Victory Academy in Dobbs Ferry is closing down on August 31, 2011. 29 employees will be affected by the closure. It has not yet been announced when the layoffs will begin.
Westchester Medical Center announced plans to disband its mobile psychiatric crisis unit and reorganize its 24-hour psychiatric emergency room. The medical center will eliminate 35 jobs.
New Last Month
Dutchess County
Rumors of layoffs at IBM have surfaced in recent months. According to the union group Alliance@IBM, the company may lay off up to 612 workers from its Global Business Services unit. The company has not commented on this development.
Orange County
V-Twin Manufacturing Tedd Cycle, Inc. filed a WARN notice with the Labor Department in anticipation of a mass layoff, beginning on June 16, 2011 and continuing in stages until November 17, 2011.
Putnam County - Nothing to report.
Rockland County
Chromalloy, a company that designs and manufactures airplane turbine engine components is moving its headquarters from Orangeburg to Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. The headquarters consisting of a team of about 8 employees will relocate to Florida while the 350 employees working in its manufacturing operation will stay in Orangeburg.
Sullivan County - Nothing to report.
Ulster County
Bank of America announced last month that it was ending its contract with New York State to process income tax returns. That decision could potentially affect some 100 full-time and 1,500 part-time jobs at Tech City in the Town of Ulster in Ulster County. State tax returns have been processed at Tech City, a former IBM plant since 1996; first by Fleet Bank and then by Bank of America.
Westchester County
Xand Corp., a data-center infrastructure and business continuity provider will expand its data center facility, adding another 5,000 square feet to its existing floor space at its Skyline Drive location in Hawthorne. No job numbers were available.
Strikes and Labor Disputes
Nothing to report