Lt. Gov. By-Lined Article: How the New Jersey Business Action Center Convinced Patella Woodworking to Come Home

By Kim Guadagno, Lt. Governor On Mar 10, 2016

When the 2009 recession hit, many businesses were left searching for resources. For Patella Woodworking, a premium architectural woodworking company based in Jersey City, that meant completely shutting down their production center in Canada. Then, in 2012, Patella Woodworking decided to leave Jersey City for what the company thought was a better location – New York State.

However, Patella’s exit from New Jersey was only temporary. Thanks to the state’s new Grow NJ incentive program, a skilled labor force and business-friendly climate, in 2014, Patella decided to give the Garden State another look.

“Without the New Jersey Business Action Center’s support, I don’t know if this return to New Jersey would have been possible,” says Michael Ostroff, CEO of Patella Woodworking. “We are thrilled to be coming back and look forward to creating new jobs in the City of Passaic.”

Here are five ways the New Jersey Business Action Center (NJ BAC) convinced the company to come home – bringing over 70 well-paying manufacturing positions to a distressed part of the state:

1.    Identifying New Tax Incentives:  The NJ BAC walked Patella Woodworking through the proposal process to apply for tax incentives, which resulted in a $10.3 million award through the Grow NJ incentive program administered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.  The award will be spread over 10 years, and is based on creating 70 new jobs.

2.    Finding the Ideal Location:  Working closely with the Passaic County Department of Economic Development, the NJ BAC helped Patella Woodworking identify an 89,000-square-foot building available for purchase in Passaic, New Jersey.  (It had formerly been the site of the Hercules Chemical Company building.)

3.    Recruiting Skilled Labor:  Patella Woodworking currently employs 70 but plans to expand employment to over 100 in its new location. To assist the company with recruiting and training its specialized workforce, the NJ BAC is linking the company to a host of grants and services from the Department of Labor. Patella has also recruited former Hercules Chemical employees with experience working in the same building.

4.    Providing Exceptional Customer Service:  The BAC continued to help Patella over a period of months answering questions, guiding them through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s grant process and even assisting with various utility issues.

5.    Engaging Collaboration At All Levels of Government:  New Jersey’s economic development efforts work best as a team. This project is a great example of how state, county and municipal government came together to create jobs and investment.

“The relocation of Patella Woodworking to New Jersey is a great story and highlights exactly the progress the state has made to improve the business climate in the Garden State,” says Lauren Moore, Executive Director, New Jersey Business Action Center. “The project speaks to the high level of care and customer service provided by the BAC team and all the entities that came together to make this project a success.”

So what’s next for the Garden State?  We believe New Jersey is now primed to attract additional companies who are looking for a business friendly environment that is committed to helping businesses grow and flourish.

About the New Jersey Business Action Center

Operating under the leadership of Lt. Governor Guadagno, the New Jersey Business Action Center encourages the optimum conditions for business growth and job creation in the state. The BAC’s experienced business advocates work to retain and attract businesses to New Jersey – providing a customer-oriented approach to assist business of all sizes. www.nj.gov/njbusiness

Related Articles: