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Look at Ben & Jerry as well as Vermont Roasters Coffe. Both buisnesses are base in Vermont in locations that are far from easily accessable to the bulk of the USA.
Ben and Jerry's was able to develop successfully in Waterbury as it was:
1) Closer to sources for a major ingredient
2) Needed factory laborers, low level employee types. (lower pay compared to silicon valley types)
3) Even when they became successful, B&J kept their salaries modest
VT isn't a business-friendly state, B&J and VT Coffee (do you mean Green Mountain Coffee Roasters?) had the good fortune of setting up before some of the hardcore, pain in the butt ACTs were set into place.
It costs less to build, property taxes are somewhat less than we pay on LI, salaries are lower, Waterbury isn't a far ride from the international airport in Burlington (closer than Hauppauge is to LGA or JFK) and enjoys easy access to I-89 -- helping distribution. GMCR has a second plant in Essex (closer to BVG) as well as a newish plant somewhere in TN or KY. One has to ask whether GMCR would have done so well if they hadn't devised the Keurig machine.
What food production factories do we even have on LI? Famous Amos Cookies? Is he even still out here? Even then, if we did have a huge corporation's ice cream production line (example only) how much would they even pay?
This is the #1 thing that needs to be settled, above all else. There is absolutely no way modern enterprises will move to LI with business infrastructure that is inferior to developing countries. Coincidentally, many of these developing countries like Indonesia, Philippines, Colombia and Peru are now booming when they upgraded their business infrastructure.
Although all requirements are probably inter-related. Anecdotally, I wanted to recommend business associates to put up co-work spaces in the office parks of LI (and Westchester) but hesitated when Sandy took out power for 2 weeks. No matter how much lower the rent, there is no way hedge funds, advisory firms and other knowledge companies can accept power being out for even a few days.
Yeah, the fly in the ointment to thinking Suffolk could go the knowledge worker route. It's really baffling to see zero leadership in each county while at best Long Island is just maintaining, all the while the rest of the country and world moves ahead.
It is!!! We've been there a few times, combined with trips to the Strasburg Railroad (in the Thomas the Tank Engine phase, we did the Day out with Thomas - they do a great job there).
D.W. is a great park for little kids. Definitely worth a trip.
My grandparents used to take me to Dutch Wonderland when I was a kid, and we'd stay in Strasburg at the Red Caboose Motel. It's still there, too. Train cars refurbished as hotel rooms. It's great for kids, and downright amazing for a kid who loves trains.
Ben and Jerry's was able to develop successfully in Waterbury as it was:
1) Closer to sources for a major ingredient
2) Needed factory laborers, low level employee types. (lower pay compared to silicon valley types)
3) Even when they became successful, B&J kept their salaries modest
VT isn't a business-friendly state, B&J and VT Coffee (do you mean Green Mountain Coffee Roasters?) had the good fortune of setting up before some of the hardcore, pain in the butt ACTs were set into place.
It costs less to build, property taxes are somewhat less than we pay on LI, salaries are lower, Waterbury isn't a far ride from the international airport in Burlington (closer than Hauppauge is to LGA or JFK) and enjoys easy access to I-89 -- helping distribution. GMCR has a second plant in Essex (closer to BVG) as well as a newish plant somewhere in TN or KY. One has to ask whether GMCR would have done so well if they hadn't devised the Keurig machine.
What food production factories do we even have on LI? Famous Amos Cookies? Is he even still out here? Even then, if we did have a huge corporation's ice cream production line (example only) how much would they even pay?
Vermont is often ranked as one of the worst states for business-friendliness and it's tax rates are sky high just like here. For giggles, here's .Inc's worst 10 states for business friendliness:
The 10 lowest ranked, or worst, states in this year’s Index are:
41. Maryland
42. Iowa
43. Wisconsin
44. North Carolina
45. Minnesota
46. Rhode Island
47. Vermont
48. California
49. New Jersey
50. New York
Status:
"Let this year be over..."
(set 21 days ago)
Location: Where my bills arrive
19,219 posts, read 17,091,524 times
Reputation: 15538
Quote:
Originally Posted by OhBeeHave
Ben and Jerry's was able to develop successfully in Waterbury as it was:
1) Closer to sources for a major ingredient
2) Needed factory laborers, low level employee types. (lower pay compared to silicon valley types)
3) Even when they became successful, B&J kept their salaries modest
VT isn't a business-friendly state, B&J and VT Coffee (do you mean Green Mountain Coffee Roasters?) had the good fortune of setting up before some of the hardcore, pain in the butt ACTs were set into place.
It costs less to build, property taxes are somewhat less than we pay on LI, salaries are lower, Waterbury isn't a far ride from the international airport in Burlington (closer than Hauppauge is to LGA or JFK) and enjoys easy access to I-89 -- helping distribution. GMCR has a second plant in Essex (closer to BVG) as well as a newish plant somewhere in TN or KY. One has to ask whether GMCR would have done so well if they hadn't devised the Keurig machine.
What food production factories do we even have on LI? Famous Amos Cookies? Is he even still out here? Even then, if we did have a huge corporation's ice cream production line (example only) how much would they even pay?
I agree with you, my point was that VT is not a buisness friendly state but these companies succeeded ( I do mean Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. But if they can suceed (and we know coffee beans are not native to the state) why can't a company develop on the island fi they want to? So it's not a high level tech position i'll be even modest paying jobs would have more than ample applicants. Of course the union would get involved driving costs up...never mind your right the climate is to hostile for any buisness to establish themselves and thrive...
My grandparents used to take me to Dutch Wonderland when I was a kid, and we'd stay in Strasburg at the Red Caboose Motel. It's still there, too. Train cars refurbished as hotel rooms. It's great for kids, and downright amazing for a kid who loves trains.
Yeah, we've been there because it's right next to the toy train museum. Thought it was cute but there's a horse and buggy operator there and they use the Red Caboose's yard for the horse's toilet. In the hot Lancaster sun, that makes for a gag-worthy experience (not to mention the flies!). I'll go only so far for the kid's train obsession!
I agree with you, my point was that VT is not a buisness friendly state but these companies succeeded ( I do mean Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. But if they can suceed (and we know coffee beans are not native to the state) why can't a company develop on the island fi they want to? So it's not a high level tech position i'll be even modest paying jobs would have more than ample applicants. Of course the union would get involved driving costs up...never mind your right the climate is to hostile for any buisness to establish themselves and thrive...
My point was that these companies formed in 1980 or 81 prior to the passage of a number of very business unfriendly acts. They've certainly suceeded, but again -- GMRC, when it came time for substantial expansion, moved those operations to a business-friendly state.
B&J has 3 locations in VT and only 1 is a 24/7 manufacturing plant which also runs Breyers and Good Humor for their corporate master, Unilever. B&J/Unilever employs ≈650 people in VT and is one of the State's top tourist attractions. (Ski areas not included.)
That brings us back to GMRC -- its humble one shop beginning's growth was fueled by ski traffic.
Unfriendly business climate in NYS and high COL on LI not withstanding, it would appear that something enjoyed by locals and appealing enough for visitors to want to take home would be one key to establishing some new sort of business here on LI.
I'm mixed, when I went up recently it looked booming, like people were investing in the place. Maybe looks are deceiving, but from my perspective the guy needs to have his head examined.
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