Hartford Business Journal

4 Hartford Business Journal • September 24, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com Week in Review Briefs Manufacturer postpones quest for $17.3M Windsor facility An Enfield-based manufacturer of building facades has postponed its application to build a $17.3 million manufacturing facility in Windsor while it reassess the projected cost, town officials said. Fabbrica LLC, which has 100 employees at administrative offices in Enfield and a manufacturing facility at 25 and 35 International Dr. in Windsor, plans to expand and consolidate its locations under one roof, according to Jim Burke, Windsor's economic development director. The company is considering several options for expansion: Lease or purchase 26 acres at 11 Goodwin Dr. in Windsor to build 189,000 square feet of manufacturing space; lease a larger space in Enfield or Westfield, Mass.; or retain 25 International Dr. and lease additional space in Montreal, Canada. The town's Economic Development Commission in July approved awarding the company a $634,951 tax abatement over four years, but Burke says final approval stands with the Windsor's nine- member town council. However, Fabbrica has suspended its application for a 140-employee manufacturing hub as costs for the $17.3 million project are larger than expected, Burke said. FedEx distribution hub bows in Aetna's former Middletown site FedEx Ground unveiled its new $220 million, 600,000-square-foot package- collection and distribution hub in Aetna's former Middletown hilltop site. The new 550-employee hub at 1000 Middle St. becomes FedEx Ground's second in Connecticut, in addition to a smaller 220,000-square-foot distribution facility in Willington. Officials said it is needed to meet the courier's growing daily volume of packages, which has doubled in the last decade. The Middletown facility is part of the Memphis, Tenn., company's nationwide plan to add 17 major distribution hubs and expand 500 facilities since 2005. NY sues CT broker, alleging faulty tickets New York's attorney general is suing South Windsor sports-entertainment ticket broker TicketNetwork and its owner, alleging they siphoned millions from Empire State buyers with faulty or non-existent tickets to games, concerts and other live events. Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood's civil lawsuit announced Sept. 14 against TicketNetwork Inc., and affiliate, Eventvest Inc. d/b/a Ticket Galaxy, and their owner, Donald Vaccaro, came just days after Vaccaro sued Underwood, to block her from suing him and his companies. In her suit, Underwood alleges that the co-defendants conducted a massive scheme to trick tens of thousands of unsuspecting fans into buying tickets to concerts, shows, and other live events that the sellers did not actually have. The illegal conduct allegedly at issue, she said, centers on undisclosed "speculative tickets" — offers to sell tickets that the ticket seller does not have, has not yet purchased, and does not have a contractual right to obtain. In its lawsuit, TicketNetwork argues it is not responsible for third-party ticket sales on its website, even if sellers offer tickets they do not yet own. The company says there is no legal precedent for this allegation under state or federal law made by the attorney general's office. TOP STORY CT officials: Utilities thwarted millions of hacking attempts C onnecticut cybersecurity officials said that utility companies have faced more frequent and sophisticated attempts to penetrate their networks over the past year, but suffered no breaches. In a second annual review of utility cyberdefenses — a confidential process in which Eversource, Avangrid, Connecticut Water and Aquarion have voluntarily participated for the past two years — Chief Cybersecurity Risk Officer Arthur House and three other state officials involved in the review determined that the four companies have "adequate defense capabilities" and are continuing to make provisions to prevent future attacks. The 2017 cybersecurity review had a similar finding. In the past year, officials said there have been improvements in cyber-defense efforts. Utility boards of directors are more involved in the discussion, employee training programs are more extensive, the hiring of outside firms to prove cyber defenses has become the norm, and utilities are planning coordinated training exercises specific to a cyber attack, according to the report. One ongoing challenge is ensuring that utility system links with vendors are as secure as possible. The report said some utilities are reviewing the security of all vendors, even those that they've worked with for years. Another challenge is that some broadband and cable utilities have refused to participate in the state cyber review, despite officials' urging. "These four utilities conducted serious, in-depth reviews with top management support," House said. "This report underscores the potential of public/private partnership to advance cybersecurity in Connecticut." BY THE NUMBERS $26.2M The total price tag of St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center's new Orthopedic and Spine Surgery Center, which recently broke ground and is expected to open by early 2020. 37% The percentage of the state employ- ees' retirement pension system that is actually funded, according to an analysis from The Manhattan Institute. 188 The number of UTC Aerospace Systems unionized workers who went on strike Sept. 17, after failing to come to terms on pay and healthcare benefits with par - ent company United Technologies Corp. 2 The number of productions that TheaterWorks will house at the Wad- sworth Atheneum in 2019, as the the- ater company completes a $4 million renovation to its Pearl Street home. TOP 5 MOST READ On HartfordBusiness.com • 1. McLadden's restaurants acquired by Mass. group • 2. Spurned E. Hfd. lender plans layoffs • 3. NY sues CT broker, alleging phony tickets • 4. CT officials: Utilities thwarted millions of hacking attempts • 5. St. Francis to break ground on $26.5M orthopedic surgery center in Hartford STAY CONNECTED For breaking and daily Greater Hartford business news go to www.HartfordBusiness.com HBJ on Twitter: @HartfordBiz HBJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HartfordBiz HBJ on Linkedln: www.linkedin.com/company/ the-Hartford-Business-Journal Daily e-newsletters: HBJ Today, CT Morning Blend www.HartfordBusiness.com/ subscribe Weekly e-newsletters: CT Health Care Weekly Art House in 2018 helped the state complete its second annual review of utility companies' cybersecurity defenses. Donald Vaccaro, Owner, TicketNetwork Inc., and affiliate, Eventvest Inc. d/b/a Ticket Galaxy PHOTO | HBJ FILE

• Cover