State-fund winners' projects 'ready to go'

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is renovating its Bethpage offices to retain and attract workers.

Guitar strings maker D'Addario & Co. of Farmingdale wants to return to the United States work that's now done in China.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals Llc plans to hire 400 people to make generic drugs at its factory in South Yaphank.

These businesses are among 31 on Long Island that recently won a total of $20 million in state aid. The money was part of $101.6 million awarded to 66 local projects aimed at creating jobs.

When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced last week the winners of the aid competition, attention was focused on big developments, such as Brentwood's Heartland mini-city and the Ronkonkoma LIRR-MacArthur Airport transit hub. But private companies also received substantial sums.

"Many of these projects are ready to go so they can create jobs ASAP," said Kenneth Adams, Cuomo's economic development czar.

Two years ago Northrop Grumman began modernizing its offices spread through three buildings in Bethpage. Once Long Island's dominant employer, the company plans to spend nearly $13 million on refurbishments and will receive $1.1 million in state tax credits.

"We have operated in Bethpage since World War II, and it's important to our employees and our military customers that our facilities remain state-of-the-art from a technology perspective," said spokeswoman Dianne C. Baumert-Moyik.

The company employs 1,566 people locally, she said, and is "focused on protecting those jobs."

At D'Addario in Farmingdale, chief executive James D'Addario is returning some production here from overseas.

He's already found local suppliers to turn out components for some of the musical instrument accessories D'Addario makes. About $2 million in work has been returned so far.

The family-owned manufacturer received $1.9 million in state tax credits toward a $9-million expansion that calls for 50 people to be added to the payroll of 800 over the next decade.

"If we didn't get this assistance, honestly, we probably would be looking at North Carolina or South Carolina, because they are here every month soliciting us," D'Addario said. "We really don't want to uproot our families and our business."

D'Addario and Northrop Grumman executive Patricia McMahon are members of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, which endorsed the projects of their respective employers. However, both abstained from the council vote, which accounted for a maximum of 20 points out of 100 in the statewide contest.

Manufacturers of generic drugs dominanted the list of companies receiving state help.

Amneal expects to begin adding 315,000 square feet of space to its South Yaphank factory next year. The project, valued at about $60 million, will add 400 jobs to the company's local workforce of 724.

Amneal president Chirag Patel predicted the company would introduce 20-plus products each year because of the expansion. He said, "The $3 million from New York represents a vote of confidence in our ability to significantly increase employment for Long Islanders."

BOOSTING COMPANIES

Thirty-one business expansions on Long Island are receiving state aid. Here are the 10 biggest winners:

$3.1 MILLION: P&L DEVELOPMENTS, Westbury, for factory expansion and worker training

$3M: AMNEAL PHARMACEUTICALS, South Yaphank, for factory expansion

$2.4M: SCIEGEN PHARMACEUTICALS INC., Hauppauge, for equipment purchase

$2.2M: ARKWIN INDUSTRIES INC., Westbury, for new building and machinery for fighter jet project

$1.9M: D'ADDARIO & CO., Farmingdale, for building renovation and equipment purchase

$1.5M: G4 SYNERGETICS INC., Setauket, for building acquisition

$1.5M: UNCLE WALLY'S/UNITED BAKING CO., Shirley, for building renovations and purchase of a building and equipment

$1.1M: NORTHROP GRUMMAN AEROSPACE SYSTEMS, Bethpage, for renovations to three buildings

$901,942: EVANS & PAUL LLC, Plainview, for product development

$537,300: AVCO INDUSTRIES INC., Central Islip, for increasing production of pizza and bakery boxes

Source: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office