From The Editor: The Year That’s Almost History
Saia
There's little doubt that 2013 doesn't resemble 2009, when the Great Recession was dragging down much of the economy. Granted, while most of us are still walking forward, the stride may not be as quick as we'd like it to be. But there were plenty of signs of economic growth in MetroWest, and we detail them in our recap of the top stories of the year.
The year wasn't all roses, though, as Intel said it will shut down manufacturing operations in Hudson by the end of 2014. And for all the ink that casino gambling generated after passage of the gambling-expansion law in 2011, last month's resounding defeat of a proposed resort casino in Milford all but nailed the door shut on the possibility of a MetroWest facility. However, Plainville is one of three communities — Leominster and Raynham are the others — looking to land the lone slots parlor license.
It's all in our annual recap, starting on Page 16.
Biotech’s Bounce
While biotech has been a big story this year, Michael Novinson looks at how the industry is carving a niche for itself in MetroWest, driven by lower rents and the presence of a skilled workforce. See Page 14.
Northern Exposure
In this issue of MetroWest495 Biz, we focus on some developments on the northern end of Interstate 495, specifically the road ahead for Devens after its resurrection as a business hub following the loss of most of the activity at Fort Devens in the mid-1990s. That story, by Emily Micucci, begins on Page 12.
Next door to Devens, in Littleton and Westford, officials are coming to grips with the economic development on and around routes 110 and 119. Livia Gershon's story, which begins on Page 18, tells us what the towns are doing to grow the business tax base while maintaining the town's character.
Immigration Debate’s Impact
On Page 20, Emily Micucci examines the potential impact on local businesses, such as Chitika Inc. in Westborough, of the debate over immigration reform in Washington. More specifically, inaction puts some companies that depend on foreign nationals who come to the U.S. on work visas in tough spots.
Our Other Features
Our final issue of 2013 features a Green Economy column (Page 11) by James Dumas of Solect Energy in Hopkinton, and in our What It Takes interview (Page 22), Emily Micucci talks with Raymond Kubacki, chairman, president and CEO of Psychemedics Corp. in Acton, a manufacturer of drug-detection tests that's on a revenue roll. And, of course, we have our regular features — Out & About and By The Numbers — and our list for this issue is the top biomedical companies in MetroWest.
Thanks for reading, and Happy Holidays! See you next year!
Rick Saia, Executive Editor
WBJ Web Partners
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