“This announcement is the accumulation of a total team effort at all levels of government coordinated by the Greene IDA,” explained Greene IDA Chairman Paul Slutzky. “We worked closely with our partners and Walt Palmer, the Senior Director for Supply Chain Operations for Stiefel, A GSK Company, to make the Oak Hill location globally competitive giving us this opportunity to save these local jobs.”

The gradual closing of the Stiefel site was announced on Veteran’s Day this past year with final production anticipated in 2012.  This closure plan included the transfer of all current manufacturing of the Oak Hill site’s dermatology products to another GSK site in Mississauga, Canada. This decision presented an opportunity to utilize the existing Oak Hill facility to establish a Centre of Excellence for the supply and manufacture of GSK’s oral care products. This shift in manufacturing strategy now keeps the facility open and presents future growth possibilities. The current job level of approximately 260 and anticipated total elimination of the workforce will now be at 211 once the new manufacturing is in place and until other potential expansion concepts are successful.

Plans to transfer the manufacture of dermatology products out of Oak Hill will continue and be complete by the end of 2011. It is anticipated that the transfer of oral care products from GSK’s Clifton, N.J. plant to Oak Hill will be complete by the end of 2012.

As a result of an outstanding local workforce, state of the art manufacturing facilities, energy efficiency assistance and several targeted financial and regulatory partnerships with various agencies including Empire State Development, Division of Housing and Community Renewal, NYSERDA, DEC and the Greene IDA, the overall competiveness of the Oak Hill site was achieved. Ultimately this made the site attractive for GSK to decide that the transfer of its current oral care manufacturing, currently being done in Clifton; to Oak Hill was a good business decision.

“I’m pleased GlaxoSmithKline will be transferring operations and keeping its doors open here in New York State.  This is a huge win for the Capital Region,” said Empire State Development Chairman and CEO designate Dennis M. Mullen. “Under the leadership of Governor Paterson, Empire State Development was able to partner with several agencies and local organizations to ensure the viability of Greene County’s largest manufacturer and private sector employer. The company’s long-term commitment to the area will not only save critical jobs in the region, but will also provide an opportunity for future growth at the Oak Hill site in Greene County.  As we work towards rebuilding New York, this is exactly the type of investment that will help sustain our local economy and get us on the road to fiscal recovery.”

The NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal Acting Commissioner Brian Lawlor said, “DHCR is proud to join our partners at the Greene County IDA, the Town of Durham and Empire State Development Corporation in supporting the effort to retain GSK/Stiefel Laboratories and their manufacturing jobs here in New York State. These investments will allow GSK/Stiefel to maintain its place as the largest private sector employer in Greene County and will continue to create local economic opportunities for the working families of this important community.”

“GSK/Stiefel’s decision to remain in New York is welcome news for Greene County and the entire region,” said Francis J. Murray, President and CEO of NYSERDA. “Along with our partners in the state and local government, we look forward to working closely with company officials to do everything we can to ensure that it has a long and prosperous future in New York State.”

State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said, “My department is committed to working with local and company officials to help the manufacturing transition and ensure the optimum operation of critical wastewater facilities. We are happy to be part of the team that pro-actively came to the table to save these local jobs.”

Wayne Speenburgh, Chairman of the Greene County Legislature added, “Through the hard work of many and the aggressive response of our Greene IDA, the end result of this announced deal is the preservation of 211 jobs in Greene County and the investment of approximately $56 million into the site by GSK. I and the other members of the Greene County Legislature are thrilled and look forward to a long and prosperous future with our new partners.”

“I congratulate GSK for this important decision that will impact many lives in my local community and thank all those that worked so diligently to enhance Oak Hill as a competitive place for manufacturing, please count on the Town of Durham as one of your many dedicated partners,” emphasized local Greene County Legislator Sean Frey.

Greene County IDA Executive Director Sandy Mathes concluded, “I must single out those that aggressively came to the table in our time of need to focus on making this site in Oak Hill competitive in the global marketplace. This was our single goal for it was the only way to have a constructive discussion with our partners at GSK regarding keeping this essential manufacturing facility operational thus employing local families. Special thanks to Walt Palmer of GSK/Stiefel, Regional Director Peter Wohl of Empire State Development, Deputy Commissioner Joseph Rabito from DHCR, DEC Commissioner Alexander Grannis and Region 4 Director Gene Kelly, Director of External Affairs Tom Lynch of NYSERDA, Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development Bruce Herman from DOL and the Greene County IDA Board of Directors and for keeping the faith as we all pursued this perceived impossible outcome. The people of Greene County thank you all.”

January 6th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
At the Catskill Middle School

Downtown and Waterfront Revitalization Strategy – PDF

Executive Summary Sheet – PDF

Greene IDA Catskill – PDF

The Greene County Industrial Development Agency today announced that it has entered into a contract to purchase the Travco Industrial Site in the Town of Athens, Greene County. The plan is to re-develop the old industrial site with a critical rail component preserving approximately 30 jobs in the community and creating over 100 new employment opportunities.

The property consists of 60 acres of land improved by two buildings. The back building is 84,000 sq. ft. and the front building is 24,250 sq. ft. The re-development plan is to confine new economic activity to the existing disturbed portion of the site and preserve of the back 2/3 of the site for wetland and open space protection. An adjacent rail line will be extended into the site to enhance the multi-model options of the facility.

The purchase price is $1,250,000 with a mandatory closing scheduled for January 4, 2008. The Greene IDA has control of the site and initiated a lease of the property October 1, 2007 that will extend until the closing.

The Greene IDA has also entered in to a re-development agreement with Peckham Industries, Inc. for a long-term lease of the back section of the current industrial portion of the site for re-location of select operations currently operating on their Hudson River site in Athens.   The specifics of the re-development plan are included in the attached project detail sheet. The Greene IDA will maintain control of the front portion of the property including the front building which will be renovated.

The project partners will work closely with the Greene County Office for Planning and Economic Development, the Empire Zone program and the Town of Athens to maximize the local and state assistance for the project’s success. All parties will also partner with the Village of Athens to re-develop the northern portion of the existing Peckham site on the Hudson in conjunction with the Village’s Waterfront Revitalization Plan.

Peckham Site Plan – PDF

Greene IDA Buying Industrial Property – PDF

Peckham gets $300K to enhance rail service – PDF

New rail spur gets state funds – PDF