In the News

Business leaders, college presidents, politicians and state economic development leaders joined in an online seminar to discuss better ways the entire state can come together to share resources and produce products.

More than 350 people signed on to listen to or participate in the first EastWest Exchange on Wednesday. The event covered ways to localize supply chains and better share business and innovation from the eastern part of the state with that being done in Western Massachusetts.

The inaugural event was planned to be held in person in May. It was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic and then put online. The four-hour event included multiple roundtable workshops and networking sessions on subjects such as university and college partnerships and finding talent and resources to fuel commercial needs.

“The goal today is to make those connections,” said Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council.

While global partners will always play a critical role in the state’s economy, the coalition of experts was gathered to discuss ways to create more made-in-Massachusetts products, said Michael Kennealy, secretary of the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

He talked about existing partnerships between colleges, universities, high tech industries and manufacturers. Some came together recently to boost supplies of personal protective equipment when hospitals were facing a critical shortage. Kennealy said he hopes to build on efforts like that in the future.

“What more can we do to uncover new suppliers and talent development partners that might be just two hours away?” he asked.

Harvard University professor Willy Shih talked about how the pandemic brought to light how the global economy — fueled by the efficiency of transporting goods and the ease of communications — has created a complex interdependence between businesses worldwide. Currently, almost no company makes all the parts to anything they manufacture.

“A lot do not know who is in their supply chain,” Shih said. “I think we will find this with the pharmaceutical industry.”

In one example, he said fish caught in Alaska is then brought to another country to be filleted and then sold in a third country.

But during the pandemic, some key suppliers closed down. This has put a bigger focus on producing more domestically and presents an opportunity to build partnerships within the state.

During the event, Colin Angle, chairman, CEO and founder of iRobot, presented a package of robots along with supplies, technology, training and educational services to “two courageous community colleges, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College” to be used in their science, engineering and technology programs.

He talked about the collaborations that took place and helped him as he was building his business.

“One of the greatest competitive advantages we have here in Massachusetts is the way that industry, academia and government collaborate,” he said. “The growing innovative economy in Western Massachusetts can join the established high tech economy of eastern Massachusetts and create jobs.”

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, talked about his work on the CARES Act economic stimulus package that helped provide 10,400 Massachusetts businesses — most of them small companies — secure loans and grants to help them stay afloat during the pandemic. He also talked about bills to improve green energy.

“North-south rail has been very successful. I want to emulate that for east-west rail,” he said, adding it will be important in trying to connect the two parts of the state.