The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development affiliates the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) and the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association (JATA) co-hosted a special bus tour of North Central Massachusetts on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 for the New England Consular Corps.  The tour was co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI) and provided an opportunity to introduce foreign diplomats to North Central Massachusetts and promote the region as a great place to live, work, visit or grow a business.

The economic development tour highlighted local manufacturing and showcased the region’s skilled workforce, quality of life and the advantages of locating a business in North Central Massachusetts. Approximately 25 diplomatic and commercial representatives of 16 countries participated in the tour.  State economic development officials also participated, including Nam Pham, Assistant Secretary of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development & International Trade; Mark Sullivan, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade & Investment (MOITI); Francois Nivaud, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT); and Peter Milano, Senior Director of Business Development at the Massachusetts Office of Business Development.

The bus tour featured stops at Quiet Logistics in Devens, to learn about their Quiet Brand Incubator, a new program launched in September 2016 designed to support innovative e-commerce startups; Laddawn, Inc. in Devens, a plastics manufacturer that manufactures recyclable plastic films and bags for industrial, food, medical, and institutional markets; Boutwell Owens of Fitchburg, a manufacturer of printed paperboard packaging; and Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg for a lunch and presentation about the region conducted by the Chamber and sponsored by Great Wolf.  The tour also included a trip to the summit of Mount Wachusett to witness the beautiful fall foliage and scenic views of the region, and concluded with a special reception with business leaders hosted by Wachusett Ski Area at their base lodge.

“This was an exciting opportunity to showcase North Central Massachusetts to an international audience of diplomats and business representatives,” said Roy Nascimento, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “We have a number of international businesses already thriving in our region and believe that this is a dynamic region to invest and grow a business.”

“The Massachusetts Office of Business Development is proud to showcase business opportunities throughout the Commonwealth and the recent tour of North Central Massachusetts with the New England Consular Corps is one of the many ways we spotlight our manufacturing companies, visitor destinations and recreation areas that underscore everything Massachusetts has to offer,” said Nam Pham, Assistant Secretary of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and International Trade

Countries represented on the tour included Brazil; Cabo Verde; Canada; Columbia; Ireland; Japan; Mexico; Nepal; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; South Korea; Taiwan; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; and the United Kingdom.

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce would like to express its thanks and appreciation to the following companies and organizations for their participation in the International Economic Development Tour:
Boutwell-Owens; Great Wolf Lodge of New England; Laddawn, Inc.; Quiet Logistics; Wachusett Ski Area; Massachusetts Office of Business Development; Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment; and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Special thanks to Great Wolf Lodge of New England; Wachusett Ski Area; and Wachusett Brewing Company for their support of the lunch program and business reception.

For more information on the economic development tour, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber at 978.353.7600 ext. 244 or visit www.northcentralmass.com.