Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com January 18, 2016 • Worcester Business Journal 5 The Squad Power Manager Special Operations Kits (SPM-622), a portable power management device that weighs less than a pound, permits a group of five to nine soldiers to power portable radios, computers and other electronics from any available battery. That battery can be recharged from solar, vehicle, AC or scavenged energy sources. The device was developed and produced by the engineering and operations team at the Protonex facility in Southborough. Protonex Power Managers are being used across the military as part of its "digital battlefield" strategy to drastically reduce the amount and variation of bat- teries needed in forward positions, allowing soldiers and marines to keep their electronics charged no matter what happens on the battlefield. The U.S. Military and its allies have deployed more than 4,000 Power Managers to date. Worcester 13,000 sf veterans clinic finished Maynard construction management firm JM Coull said it has completed work at a new Veterans Administration (VA) Outpatient Clinic located at Biotech Park in Worcester, adjacent to UMass Medical School. The new VA clinic, which hasn't yet opened, is located in the UMass Medicine Science Park on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The VA and UMass Medical col- laborated in the planning of the clinic, which will offer audiology, podiatry and optometry services to patients. The audiology suite includes three state-of- the art sound booths. The 13,000-square-foot clinic was a design-build project that included all interior systems and finishes, as well as the construction of a pedestrian canopy at the main entrance, JM Coull said. Meanwhile the VA and UMass Medical School are evaluating a larger collaboration that could include the con- struction of a larger facility to service area veterans, though the future of that project is uncertain. Worcester ranked highly for work-life balance A new survey of Massachusetts com- munities has ranked Worcester third in the state when it comes to finding a good work-life balance. The list, which placed Lawrence at the top followed by Springfield and Worcester, compiled a list of communi- ties where commutes are short, house- holds are large and there's plenty to do. Zippia -- a company that compiles infor- mation about communities to allow for better career decisions -- focused on communities that allow people to work but also have a balance to their life. Northeast execs bullish on job growth, technology A new study by the the Employers >> Continued from previous page REGIONAL BRIEFS REAL DEALS Real Deals highlights recent commercial property transactions in Central Massachusetts. Commercial real estate firms that want to submit information on transactions can send it to editorial@wbjournal.com. Source: Greater Boston Commercial Properties ADDRESS: 401 Cedar Hill St., Marlborough AREA: 22,000 sq. ft. SALE PRICE: $1.3 million SELLER: Ambulance Land, LLC. BUYER: 401 Cedar LLC — Compiled by Sam Bonacci, Worcester Business Journal digital editor The 22,000-square-foot building was built in 2007 by the owner of Marlboro-Hudson Ambulance before it was converted into three units. The property is currently occupied by Community EMS and a Stanley Steamer business. Association of the NorthEast shows regional executives are more bullish about job growth than the national aver- age. They also have plans to invest in new technology in 2016. According to the study, the major area of concern among executives in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island is regulatory compliance. In com- parison to the national average, Northeast companies view the cost of regulatory compliance as a greater chal- lenge, both in the short term and long term. The data shows 32 percent of the Northeast regional responses expressing concern in the short term vs. 27 percent nationally. Long term, 42 percent regionally see regulatory compliance as a challenge versus 34 percent nationally. The study said there appears to be a greater consensus on the part of Northeastern business to invest in tech- nology equipment, lean and other pro- cess improvements as well as invest in training. Overall, 70 percent surveyed in the Northeast said they would be mak- ing new investments in 2016 versus 62 percent nationally. Also, while the majority of surveyed executives indi- cated that they would be increasing staff in 2016, a greater percentage of Northeastern executives (59 percent) plan on adding staff when compared to the national norm of 52 percent. n

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