Oxford’s IPG Photonics a finalist in Economic Impact Awards

Classic Envelope of Douglas also makes list based on job growth, investment, and facility expansion

WATERTOWN, Massachusetts – Nineteen companies from across the state have been selected as finalists for the 2012 Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards, awarded annually by MassEcon. These finalists, representing companies from the Merrimack Valley to the Pioneer Valley, will present one-minute elevator pitches describing their growth in the Bay State to a panel of judges and business leaders on September 12, 2012 at the UMass Club in Boston. Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, Greg Bialecki, will be the featured guest at the event. Oxford's IPG Photonics Corporation was chosen as one of three Central Massachusetts finalists.

The awards celebrate companies that have made an outstanding contribution to the Massachusetts economy. The winners from each of the five regions will be announced in October and recognized at an awards luncheon on November 20th in Boston.

The finalist companies range in size and are drawn from many different industries, including software, manufacturing, life sciences, energy, and robotics. MassEcon selected the finalists based on their job growth, facility expansion, and investment since January 1, 2011, as well as other criteria including community involvement. Together this year’s finalists have added over 2,000 jobs to the Commonwealth, invested nearly $250 million, and expanded their facilities by more than 1.5 million square feet since January 2011.

Finalists compete on a regional basis, defined as West, Central, Southeast, Northeast, and Greater Boston. From the pool of finalists, a gold, silver, and bronze winner will be selected from each region.

“Our world-leading innovation economy is driven by entrepreneurial companies like the Team Massachusetts award finalists and other companies like them around Massachusetts,” said Greg Bialecki, the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development. “The Patrick-Murray Administration appreciates the investment these firms are making in our economy and our long-term economic development plan prioritizes the innovation economy in an effort to help these companies succeed.”

“As the state makes its way through economic recovery, we’re thrilled to recognize the businesses in Massachusetts that are expanding,” Susan Houston, Executive Director, MassEcon added. “Our finalists demonstrate that growth in the Commonwealth is not limited to one region or one industry. We are fortunate to have such a diverse group of companies contributing to the prosperity of Massachusetts.”

The companies chosen as finalists for the 9th ANNUAL TEAM MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMIC IMPACT AWARDS are listed below.

WEST:

Polymer Corporation – Palmer

Savage Arms – Westfield

Thing5 – Springfield

SOUTHEAST:

Aquabotix – Fall River

Cheer Pack – West Bridgewater

Lacerta Group – Mansfield

Sysco Boston LLC – Plympton

NORTHEAST:

Acme Packet – Bedford

Cabot Corporation – Haverhill

EMD Millipore – Billerica

Pharmalucence – Billerica

Thermo Fisher Scientific – Tewksbury

CENTRAL:

Classic Envelope – Douglas

IPG Photonics Corporation – Oxford

Quiet Logistics – Devens

GREATER BOSTON:

Boston Heart Diagnostics – Framingham

Brightcove – Boston

Pegasystems – Cambridge

Vecna Technologies – Cambridge

About MassEcon

MassEcon, founded in 1993, is a non-profit, non-partisan entity that serves as the state’s private sector partner in promoting Massachusetts as the premier choice for business growth. Its services include the state's only Site Finder Service, which helps expanding and relocating companies find appropriate sites throughout the Commonwealth; the Research & Information Service, which provides companies with the information they need to evaluate the Commonwealth as a location to grow; and the Massachusetts Ambassadors, a network of civic and corporate leaders who help market Massachusetts as a place to do business. www.massecon.com