Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/479389
70 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2014 By Aaron Boyd A mixture of strong legacy compa- nies, pioneering entrepreneurs and a targeted influx of state funding has positioned Connect- icut as a leader in the biosciences and pharmaceuticals industry. One of those legacy companies is Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), which established its U.S. head- quarters on the Ridgefield-Danbury line in 1978. e Germany-based company was looking for a location close to major transportation hubs, a community to attract long-term employees and a good piece of property. ey found it in 170 acres in Ridgefield, where the company has grown to 2,700 employees in the state. "New England is a major hub of our industry," said BI's Head of Development Dr. James Baxter, who has been with the company for seven years, before which he spent 18 years in research at Pfizer in New London. According to Baxter, both BI and Pfizer found what they were looking for in Connecticut: a central location with a strong employee base. "Research and development tax credits made it more than worthwhile to stay," he explained. "Add to that a state with a high quality of life and a highly educated workforce, proximity to cities and a state government that is cooperative — it all comes together." Building up While BI and Pfizer have long called Connecticut home, new energy is coming into the state's bio-pharma cluster, especially from Maine-based Jackson Laboratory, which is building a campus in partnership with the University of Connecticut Health Center just west of Hartford in Farmington. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, an example of a homegrown bio-pharma success story in Connecticut, is planning to move its headquarters from Cheshire to this to-be- constructed, $184 million complex in New Haven. Did You Know? The average annual salary for the biosciences and pharmaceutical industry is $167,629. The state average is $66,724. Source: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Bio-Pharma Industry sPOtLIGHt › With a big-dollar commitment from the state and the private sector, the bio-pharma industry in Connecticut is making significant strides Biosciences & Pharmaceuticals RENDERING/COURTESY