Klarides-Ditria tours new facility at Thule in Seymour

From left: state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, Edmund Farmer, vice president, product development, and Pat Monahan, vice president, operations. /Contributed photo 

SEYMOUR - State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria Friday visited Thule, one of Seymour's largest employers, to tour the company’s new facility and talk to officials about the business climate in Connecticut. 

Thule's U.S. headquarters has called Seymour home since 1992. 

The company recently built a 75,000-square foot building, its third at the location. 

Klarides-Ditria said, "We are proud that Thule has called Seymour home for more than 25 years. It's great to see a Connecticut company that is growing and is continuing to expand."

Thule currently employs more than 200 people at the Seymour headquarters. 

In addition, the company is highly interested in going "green." At the new facility, company officials have installed filters that turn their smog into usable energy and also they use reusable pallets instead of cardboard.

"As a state, we need to support the many employers that we currently have here and work with them on ways we can help them thrive," added Klarides-Ditria. "I will continue to work to help manufacturers and make sure they have access to a skilled work force."

For more information about Thule visit www.thule.com. 

This is a release from Spencer Rubin, press secretary. 

Gentile applauds House passage of workforce development bill

HARTFORD - State Rep. Linda M. Gentile, D-Ansonia, Derby, applauds the House passage of a bill she co-sponsored that supports workforce development initiatives in the state.

State Rep. Linda M. Gentile

“In order to improve the effectiveness of our workforce development, we have to evaluate our economy and study the ways in which we can strengthen our labor force,” Gentile said. 

“Connecticut needs to focus on creating job opportunities through education and training and this bill will work to provide the necessary services that will help Connecticut be competitive and prosperous.”

Senate Bill #5590 will: 

• Allow the commissioner to establish a working group to review business support services in the state. The working group would review the services offered by such agencies and consider ways to better coordinate such services that will benefit businesses in the state. 
• Require the labor commissioner to develop and implement a universal intake form that each person entering any American Job Center or regional workforce development board facility must complete.
• Create the Connecticut Early College Opportunity program (CT-ECO), which is defined as collaboration between a school district's high schools, a local community college, and a company or business entity where a student may earn an industry-recognized, two-year post-secondary degree in addition to a high school diploma.

The bill now heads to the governor's desk to be signed into law.     

This is a press release from Gentile's office.