Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • February 19, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 11 FOCUS and it is a statute that all manufacturers should be aware of. The FCA is often enforced by private citizens who can bring lawsuits on the government's behalf and share in the monetary recovery. The U.S. Department of Justice recently instructed its prosecutors to consider dismissing meritless private citizen claims, which was a major development. 3. Sexual harassment claims, prevention One of the common questions we are being asked by our clients is whether the Weinstein scandal (and the related fall-out) has led to an increase of sexual harassment claims against executives and other manufacturing personnel. Although every company is different, at this juncture, we can't say that we have seen a significant uptick in claims — particularly those involving allegations of sexual harassment from years before. Significantly, however, we have seen more internal complaints and specific requests by employees that independent investigations be commenced. And, not surprisingly, there has been substantial interest in providing sexual harassment training. Jeff White is a partner and chair of law firm Robinson+Cole's Manufacturing Industry Group. >> Experts Corner continued Actuarial Associate with Voya in Windsor, CT. Perform actuarial & statistical analysis to help manage retirement hedge programs w/ sr actuaries. This incl adequate monitoring, maintenance & reporting of dynamic hedge programs. Review & analyze equity & interest rates scenarios. Rqmt's: Master's deg in Act Sci, Math, Statistics, Finc'l Eng or dir rel field. Min 2 yrs act exp in asset/liability modeling. Prior exp in key risk metrics incl embedded value, cash flow testing, eco cap, risk based cap, stress tests & DAC. Exp w/ fnc'l projections of new bus & in-force bus. Knowledge of dynamic policy holder behavior, distributable earnings, surplus & reserves. Exp in retirement services pricing models & profitability calculations. Programming in MoSes and VBA. Apply online www. voya.com Req JR0018513 folks — and there was no question in our minds that we needed to work with the state to retain 100 percent of that workforce," Thompson said, describing the interest in staying in Connecticut. The state loan will help cover equipment and capital improvement expenses, plus relocation costs. In return, Economy Spring and two other Connecticut companies owned by its parent, MW Industries Inc., have promised to retain 282 jobs and create 100 more by Dec. 31, 2021, according to Ed Bona, DECD's business development manager. "It's like any other deal we do," said Bona. "It's a really good company. They're growing. It's a company we think could keep growing in Connecticut." CT roots Economy Spring was founded in Southington in 1973 by Leo Charrette. Rosemont, Ill.-based MW Industries Inc. (MWI) acquired the company in 2011. MWI also owns RAF Electronic Hardware in Seymour and Tri-Star Industries in Berlin. Economy Spring makes coiled springs and other metal parts chiefly for surgical instruments like laparoscopic devices and auto drug delivery for the pharmaceutical industry. The latter includes the Epinephrine pen and wearable insulin delivery devices, Thompson said. "Everything we do is made in America. That really resonates with our customers," said Darlene Kober, Economy Spring's senior vice president of marketing and sales. The expansion and relocation will allow the company to enhance its rapid prototyping of sample products using 3-D printing and additive manufacturing, and triple in size its clean room. The company develops its products from initial concept through commercialization, Thompson said. Its main customers include major medical- device makers and a Massachusetts contract manufacturer. "We believe lead times are going to be critical to our future in terms of being a trusted adviser to our customers," he said. "We have rapid prototyping today, just not on a grand scale. Now, we can improve that capability." Although Thompson declined to discuss corporate revenue, he said Economy Spring has experienced "double-digit" growth. In fiscal year 2016, the company recorded a 15 percent growth rate; in fiscal year 2017, the rate of growth was 17 percent. The company is again projecting a growth rate of at least 15 percent this fiscal year, he said. Choosing Connecticut was a relatively easy decision when it came to retaining current employees while developing the next generation of manufacturing talent, he added. Economy Spring participates in five Connecticut-sponsored apprenticeship programs, and is building relationships with area high schools and technical schools. The company also is a member of the New England Spring Manufacturers' Association, which is focused on labor shortages across the industry, he said. "We have a fantastic manufacturing team here," Thompson said. "We believe we can cultivate and grow the talent in conjunction with the state." Economy Spring manufactures a broad range of precision metal components for medical applications. D 62.9 acre parcel D Zoned Industrial ("I") D Frontage on Day Hill Road & Goodwin Drive D Easy access to Bradley International Airport and the I-91, I-84 and I-90 corridors D All utilities at site D For sale or build-to-suit 11 Goodwin Drive Windsor, CT 860-286-7660 www.griffinindustrial.com Large Industrial/ Commercial Site Available Find out why Amazon, Walgreens, Dollar Tree, Domino's, Eaton, Westinghouse, FedEx, Pepsi, UPS and Tire Rack all chose to locate within central Connecticut's premier industrial market.

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