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Unique Ways to Save Money As You Upgrade Your Business Technology
It’s no secret that innovating is the key to business growth and prosperity. To stay competitive, businesses must continually seek new technologies to enhance productivity.

Raymond Corporation, Toyota Material Handling to integrate
GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation, which Toyota Material Handling acquired in 2001, will fully integrate with Toyota into one company under the name Toyota Material Handling North American (TMHNA) effective April 1, the companies recently announced. “We’re combining into one functional corporate organization,” says Michael Field, current president and CEO of Raymond. The company,
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GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation, which Toyota Material Handling acquired in 2001, will fully integrate with Toyota into one company under the name Toyota Material Handling North American (TMHNA) effective April 1, the companies recently announced.

“We’re combining into one functional corporate organization,” says Michael Field, current president and CEO of Raymond. The company, headquartered in Greene (Chenango County), manufactures fork trucks and provides material-handling and intralogistics solutions. Raymond and Toyota will both keep their unique brand identities.
Combining the corporate functions under one parent company will have little effect on the firm’s plants in Greene; Columbus and East Chicago, Indiana; and Muscatine, Iowa, except to improve efficiencies, says Field.
“It gives us an opportunity to move even faster than we were before,” he explains. Rather than having separate corporate engineering departments, for example, which operate independently, one unified engineering department can work faster with combined resources to create the next innovation in materials handling. The integration will amplify the similarities between Raymond and Toyota Material Handling and create a unified DNA stronger than each individual company had, he adds.
Under the integration, both the Toyota and Raymond president responsibilities will combine into TMHNA under the leadership of Brett Wood as president and CEO. Wood also serves as a senior executive officer for TMHNA’s parent company Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO).
“This is a historic day for our company, customers, dealers, and associates,” Wood said in a press statement. “Our customers’ needs are evolving rapidly, and we must prepare and adapt to an ever-changing market. We have an amazing opportunity to leverage the best people, processes, and products into one unified organization. We want to become the undisputed industry leader in solving our customers’ problems through innovation for decades to come.”
Current Toyota Material Handling President/CEO Bill Finerty will retire at the end of March, and Field will become chief operations officer of TMHNA.
Field is excited to take on the new role. “I get to put together all of the pieces and make sure they function correctly,” he says of the tasks ahead of him in the coming months.
He will remain based in Greene, where Raymond employs 2,000 people across its Central New York operations. Along with the Greene plant, Raymond operates the Energy Solutions Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Kirkwood and has a location in the Syracuse area.
The integration won’t result in any layoffs, and TMHNA plans to invest more in its workforce to accelerate growth.
“Our goal isn’t to reduce our workforce, but rather to bring together the strengths, resources, and talent from throughout our organizations,” Wood said. “Together, we will create a more dynamic, more resilient organization. We will continue to invest in the growth and development of all our associates.”
TMHNA has more than 16,000 employees, produces more than 1,900 Toyota and Raymond forklifts each week, and generates annual revenue topping $6 billion.
The company broke ground late last year on a 295,000-square-foot factory across the street from its headquarters in Columbus, Indiana to produce electric products to drive down lead times. The project was coupled with a $50 million investment into buildings, infrastructures, and equipment-elevated operations in Greene and Muscatine to optimize the manufacturing process.

New York manufacturing index begins 2025 in negative territory
The general business conditions index of the Empire State Manufacturing Survey fell 15 points to -12.6 in January, with indexes for new orders and shipments

Albany NanoTech to use $825M for R&D in national semiconductor tech center
ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany NanoTech is the first flagship facility of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). It follows a final agreement between NY CREATES, Natcast, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The pact means $825 million in federal research and development (R&D) investment from Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law, the office of U.S. Senate
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ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany NanoTech is the first flagship facility of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC).
It follows a final agreement between NY CREATES, Natcast, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The pact means $825 million in federal research and development (R&D) investment from Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law, the office of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced Jan. 15.
NY CREATES is the owner and operator of the Albany NanoTech Complex, described as “nation’s largest and most advanced” nonprofit semiconductor R&D facility, according to the NY CREATES website. Natcast is a “purpose-built,” nonprofit entity designated to operate the NSTC, per the Natcast website.
The NSTC EUV (extreme ultraviolet) Accelerator at Albany NanoTech will be a place for leaders in the semiconductor industry to conduct research and collaborate, including bringing industry firms such as Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), which is coming to the town of Clay; IBM (NYSE: IBM); GlobalFoundries, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML, and more to the table to partner on next-generation R&D, Schumer’s office said.
Having the designation as the NSTC EUV Accelerator will also open up opportunities for Albany NanoTech and Upstate NY to attract further federal investment and help attract more companies from around the world to Albany to conduct research, “all with the potential of creating more good-paying jobs and making Upstate NY a global leader in semiconductors.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Natcast intend for the NSTC EUV Accelerator at Albany NanoTech to be operational this year.
“With the final agreement in place, Albany NanoTech and Upstate NY has secured its future as the epicenter for America’s semiconductor research. This final contract locks in the massive $825 million in federal investment to make Albany NanoTech the flagship hub of the National Semiconductor Technology Center,” Schumer said in the announcement. “Historic breakthroughs researchers today cannot even fathom are going to happen in Albany thanks to this federal investment. America’s national security, our technological future, and our economy all rely on our country being able to produce the most cutting-edge chips, and this final agreement ensures that the epicenter of those federal research efforts will be right here in Upstate NY. Making Albany NanoTech an NSTC headquarters is critical to the success of Upstate NY’s transformational chips investments like Micron’s $100 billion investment in Central NY and GlobalFoundries’ $13 billion expansion in the Capital Region. It will help further attract new companies to the region, supercharging the chip ecosystem in Upstate NY and in the nation.”

New CEO now leading CXtec after Belyea retirement
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CXtec is now operating under new leadership following the retirement of CEO Peter Belyea at the end of 2024 after having served as CEO since 2016. Belyea had worked for CXtec for more than 35 years. The company on Jan. 14 announced the appointment of Todd Zegers as its top executive. Zegers,
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CXtec is now operating under new leadership following the retirement of CEO Peter Belyea at the end of 2024 after having served as CEO since 2016.
Belyea had worked for CXtec for more than 35 years.
The company on Jan. 14 announced the appointment of Todd Zegers as its top executive. Zegers, who joins CXtec with more than two decades of experience at the forefront of IT asset disposition (ITAD) leadership, “brings insight and management expertise that will guide the company through the next phase of growth,” CXtec said.
CXtec is a provider of full-service IT lifecycle products. The company is headquartered inside City Center at 400 S. Salina St. in downtown Syracuse. It currently has about 250 employees, the company tells CNYBJ in an email.
CXtec has been a portfolio company of Miami, Florida–based H.I.G. Capital since 2016. H.I.G. Capital is a global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management. The firm has a position on the CXtec board of directors and was involved in the search for a new CEO.
“We are thrilled to welcome Todd to CXtec. He is a proven leader with deep expertise within our business, customers, and industry. We look forward to supporting him and his strategic vision for the Company,” Matt Kever, managing director at H.I.G. Capital, said in the announcement. “We’re incredibly grateful for Pete Belyea’s stewardship and contributions to CXtec over the years.”
Zegers said he’s honored to step into the role of CEO “at such an exciting time” for CXtec.
“I’ve always been very impressed with the business and culture that CXtec has built, and I believe our opportunity to grow and work with even more partners to optimize their IT hardware management and service needs in a sustainable and cost-effective manner is limitless,” Zegers said in a statement. “I have already had the opportunity to meet and speak with hundreds of CXtec employees in the past days and weeks and I couldn’t be more excited to work with such an impressive group of people on how we can continue bringing value to the companies we work with. By partnering with major players in this space, identifying markets and industries where we can grow, and making strategic investments in the Company itself, we’ll be able to collectively expand on CXtec’s already distinguished legacy and lead the Company to future growth and success.”
Zegers’ hiring as CEO follows the announcement of Brent Berry as chief revenue officer in October 2024 and the announcement of Paul Hatty as CFO in April 2024.
In 2024, CXtec served thousands of unique customers, providing its partners with end-to-end network cabling, hardware, storage, and IT maintenance services, the firm said.

In the announcement, Belyea, CXtec’s now retired CEO, said Zegers was chosen to be CXtec’s new CEO because he represents the perfect balance of strategic vision and cultural alignment that the company needs to “continue to thrive.”
“Our selection process was intentional, ensuring we found a leader who not only understands our business but also values the unique culture that has defined CXtec for decades,” Belyea said. “Todd embodies our commitment to innovation, teamwork, and customer focus, and I am confident he will build on our legacy while driving the Company to new heights.”
Besides his work with CXtec, Belyea is also a former president of the Central New York Sales and Marketing Executives (CNYSME) and a life member of its board of directors.
CNYSME in 2013 selected Belyea as the recipient of the annual Crystal Ball Award, noting Belyea’s work with CXtec’s equal2new business and its social-media marketing as reasons why it selected him as that year’s recipient.
A decade later, when CXtec decided to move its headquarters to downtown Syracuse, Belyea commented on the move in a May 1, 2023 announcement.
“The Downtown location and this incredible new space have been designed from the ground up with our team’s needs first. Working with Macknight Architects we have focused on providing the team with a space that provides them with a great working environment that will be more collaborative, fun and productive,” Belyea said. “Employees and future associates want, not only a great working space, but interesting opportunities for living and entertainment outside the office.”
In a video posted on LinkedIn, CXtec employees gathered in late 2024 to celebrate Belyea’s career with gifts, fellowship, and a toast. The video also included Belyea’s brief remarks to those attending.
“All I can say is thank you. I am beyond … really beyond words. I have so many great memories. We have a spectacular future in front of us and I’m so proud to have been a part of everything we’ve done so far. We have a great cadre of people to lead us into the future … I feel like this is just about to be the best time [for] the organization. If timing wasn’t everything, I’d love to ride along with you but somebody once told me, you know when it’s time and this is my time. I really wish you all the best. Thank you all for everything you’ve done,” Belyea told the crowd, as they greeted his remarks with applause.

Final Regulations for the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit
The IRS recently issued final regulations for the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, clarifying and expanding key provisions from the proposed regulations released in

CenterState CEO report finds nearly two-thirds of area businesses expect to increase jobs this year
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A new report from CenterState CEO finds 63 percent of 160 businesspeople surveyed expect to boost jobs and hiring in 2025, up
CNY Peace Trail gets nearly $4M federal funding boost
Will help create bike-trail network across region SYRACUSE — A $3.9 million federal grant will help the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (CNY RPDB) develop a section of a biking and walking trail. It’s known as the Central New York Peace Trail and would connect to the Empire State Trail. The CNY
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SYRACUSE — A $3.9 million federal grant will help the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (CNY RPDB) develop a section of a biking and walking trail.
It’s known as the Central New York Peace Trail and would connect to the Empire State Trail.
The CNY Peace Trail is expected to cover 170 miles, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D–N.Y.) recently announced.
This $3.9 million will target plans for 57 miles across Onondaga, Madison, Cayuga, and Oswego counties with a focus on connecting 34 “Areas of Persistent Poverty” and 39 “Historically Disadvantaged and Tribal” census tracts, the lawmakers said.
The proposed trail will connect rural villages and small towns to major transportation hubs and urban employment centers.
The effort seeks to turn the Upstate region into a “world-class bike touring destination,” per the senators’ announcement.
With the funding, the CNY RPDB plans to implement safe street upgrades in addition to the bicycle-touring corridors.
“I am very pleased to receive news today that the U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding the CNY RPDB a grant of $3.9 million through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program,” David Bottar, executive director of the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, said in the announcement. “These funds will be used by the agency to complete local planning and detailed engineering plans for major elements of a 170-mile bicycle network across scenic rural areas in the five-county region in Central New York. As a regional organization, we are very pleased to receive this news and thank Senator Schumer and all our federal representatives for their efforts to support local efforts to make improvements to our region’s transportation infrastructure, particularly those improvements that will support a range of community initiatives across the region,”.
This network will reach busy areas including the Syracuse-Hancock International Airport, Syracuse Regional Transportation Center, and Central New York Regional Transportation Hub and rural villages and small towns. In addition, the trail will reach rural landscapes with farm fields, historic American architecture, forests, glacial lakes, rivers, streams, and waterfalls.
“Bike paths and trails are a magnet for tourism and help keep our community healthy and connected. This will boost local economies from Oswego to Auburn, connect rural villages to major transportation hubs, and make Upstate NY’s beautiful natural landscapes more accessible to all. I’ll continue fighting to deliver resources to keep Upstate NY connected and ensure everyone can ride their bikes safely in Central NY and across Upstate NY,” Schumer said.

Lockheed Salina plant wins $118M Air Force contract modification
SALINA, N.Y. — The Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Missions Systems plant in suburban Syracuse has been awarded a $118.4 million modification to a previously awarded U.S. Air Force contract for Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to more than $471.5 million, according to a Jan. 17
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SALINA, N.Y. — The Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Missions Systems plant in suburban Syracuse has been awarded a $118.4 million modification to a previously awarded U.S. Air Force contract for Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar.
The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to more than $471.5 million, according to a Jan. 17 contract announcement from the U.S. Department of Defense. Work will be performed in Lockheed Martin’s facility in the town of Salina and is expected to be completed by March 16, 2027.
Fiscal 2025 other procurement funds totaling $118,379,696 are being obligated at the time of the award, per the contract announcement. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts is the contracting authority.

Elmira’s Clemens Center names new officers, trustees
ELMIRA, N.Y. — The Clemens Center, a performing-arts center in Elmira, recently announced its 2025 board leadership team and newly elected members of its board of trustees. Trustees elected A. Quay Thompson, principal at Holt Architects, as president of the board for a term ending in December 2025. Thompson, who joined the board in May
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ELMIRA, N.Y. — The Clemens Center, a performing-arts center in Elmira, recently announced its 2025 board leadership team and newly elected members of its board of trustees.
Trustees elected A. Quay Thompson, principal at Holt Architects, as president of the board for a term ending in December 2025. Thompson, who joined the board in May 2020, succeeds Stephen P. Miller of Corning, Inc., who served as board president from January 2023 until the end of 2024. Miller remains on the board and serves as immediate past president.
The remaining officers elected are Pam Burns of HR Consultant as VP, L. Dale Cole of Chemung Canal Trust Company as secretary, and Kathy Stickler of MMB+Co as treasurer. The board also reappointed John Alexander of Sayles & Evans as corporate counsel.
The Clemens Center board also elected four new members and reelected two current trustees. The new members are Andrew Despain of Corning Inc., Mark Stirpe of Street Associates, Clair Warren Ginnan, and Peter Winnett of John G. Ullman & Associates. Also, Chemung County Legislator Martin Chalk and L. Glenn Poppleton, a booking agent, were both reelected to the board.
The Clemens Center board also recognized three outgoing board members that retired from their positions — Betsy Dalrymple, Sayles & Evans, (retired) and longtime community leader and volunteer; Rob Lewis, VP, project management, Streeter Associates; and Laury Ellen Ward, president, Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association.
Located in downtown Elmira, the nonprofit Clemens Center hosts nearly 60,000 patrons, including 16,000 students, annually at more than 100 professional and community performances. It is supported by individual and business memberships, local and state funding sources, and community and family foundations. Nearly 200 volunteers contribute close to 3,000 hours over 85 events each year, the organization says.
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