As the economy continues to improve, Binghamton is the perfect choice for growing companies

As the economy continues to improve, we believe Binghamton is the perfect choice for companies considering an expansion. In Binghamton you will have convenient access to more than 60% of the North American population including two of the most important metroplexes in the world: Boston-Washington in the U.S. and Toronto-Montreal in Canada. We are located along the critical I-81 corridor between Syracuse and Scranton; close to major markets without the traffic and other headaches associated with larger population centers. Binghamton businesses participate in one of the most creative economies in the U.S. When it comes to patents per capita, industry clusters, and research capacity, Binghamton ranks up there with Cambridge, Austin, and San Jose. We have strong clusters in aerospace, software, advanced manufacturing, communications, simulation and distribution. Binghamton is home to many household name companies including Lockheed Martin, Gannett, IBM, Frito Lay, L-3 Communications, Endicott Interconnect and BAE Systems. Binghamton companies make stuff. Consider the people of McIntosh Laboratory. A hand-crafted manufacturer of world class luxury audio equipment, McIntosh has been in business in Binghamton since 1949. The company's new iPhone and iPad app, released during the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, has been downloaded thousands of times. Last fall, we welcomed Ardagh glass, a global manufacturer, to our corporate park in Conklin. The company believes in Greater Binghamton; it has invested $30 million in a 90,000 s/f state-of-the-art green facility. The plant has no impact on the local landfill and is LEED Certified. Ardagh has ambitious plans to expand and employ more than 150 in the coming years. We are proud of the Charles Street Business Park in Binghamton, a partnership among Empire State Development, the city of Binghamton, and the Broome County IDA. By creatively adapting a brownfield we have developed one of the premier technology business parks in the northeast. The 32 acre site is home to Emerson Network Power's 40,000 s/f Binghamton headquarters. People from all over the world visit Emerson to learn about the latest technologies that protect and support business critical systems. Charles St. is in a Federal HUBZone creating many potential advantages for businesses that locate there. (Please contact us or visit our website for more information.) A key regional asset is Binghamton University, a premier global public institution ranked by Kiplinger's Personal Finance as one of the best values in public colleges anywhere. The university features stellar academics, amazing research, and a strong international focus. The university's growth has helped trigger new interest in downtown Binghamton. There are three major residential projects in the works that will bring more than 600 students downtown and enhance the redevelopment of one of the most historic and architecturally significant cities in the northeast. In greater Binghamton, quality of life means excellent schools, an opera and a symphony, strong minor league baseball and hockey, division I athletics, and a fast-growing arts scene. According to U.S. News and World Report, Binghamton is among the most affordable places to retire in the U.S. And we were thrilled when the Farmers Insurance Group named Binghamton the 8th safest place to live among communities its size in the U.S. Binghamton's superb transportation system makes it possible to get to the Adirondacks, the Poconos, and the tremendous fly-fishing along the Delaware River in a matter of hours. We have some of the best golf courses in the northeast. And if you like winery tours and tastings we are a short distance from the Finger Lakes, one of the Wine Spectator's emerging wine regions in the world. With the cost of energy on the rise, Binghamton's location, technology and quality of life make more sense than ever. For more on business in our region, visit the BCIDA's website, which includes a searchable property database, an interactive profile of the area, and links to our incentives and programs. Patrick Doyle is the director, business development at Broome County IDA, Binghamton, N.Y.