by Denise Richardson
staff writer
Federal funding helped Ioxus Inc. in Oneonta preserve and increase jobs, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday, and the manufacturer is working with Binghamton University to further develop its ultracapacitors.
Schumer, D-N.Y., toured the plant on Winney Hill Road on Monday and said that $1.4 million in federal
energy funding from the 2009 appropriations process has helped save jobs at the firm and set groundwork for ``an additional 300 jobs in the years to come.''
Schumer said the federal funding, the university partnership and success of Ioxus are good news for New York state.
Developments at the firm also are good news for Oneonta and Otsego County, said local business and political leaders who joined Schumer during the visit, which included a media conference.
Officials said they hope the firm and university partnership will put Otsego County on the cutting edge of energy development and marketing, with results including job creation.
Ioxus has 20 employees, Chief Operating Officer Chad Hall said Monday.
Ioxus manufactures ultracapacitors, which are high-efficiency electronic energy storage devices that can lower peak-power requirements and extend the life of batteries.
They also can be used to temporarily store energy from intermittent renewable energy sources.
Ioxus, previously called Renewable Energy Development Inc., is a subsidiary of Custom Electronics Inc. on Browne Street in Oneonta.
Ioxus began production last year, and its ultracapacitors are used in cars, buses, passenger trains and forklifts, among other applications.
Depending on business, the firm may have 60 to 65 employees by year's end in production, research and engineering positions, Ioxus officials said.
The production technician jobs pay $10 to $12 an hour, depending on experience, Hall said. Ioxus capacitors are made only in New York and shipped worldwide from Oneonta, Schumer said.
Its competitors are one firm in Korea and another company in California, which manufactures devices in Mexico, he said.
Schumer said he has been asked to speak with General Electric about using Ioxus products and will look into other avenues to support the Oneonta manufacturer.
Bahgat Sammakia, director of the Small Scale System Integration and Packaging Center at Binghamton University, joined Ioxus officials in thanking Schumer for his support. BU staff and students will be working with Ioxus scientists on researching materials that Ioxus uses to optimize development, he said.
``We're excited about this partnership with Ioxus,'' Sammakia said. ``For us, it's a great opportunity _ it's applied research.''
The connection with Binghamton University creates ``outstanding opportunities'' for Ioxus to further develop its products, said Rob Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the Otsego County Chamber. Growth at Ioxus will help the area's employment base, he said, and Ioxus may be able to work with other manufacturers to develop and market energy-related products in the ``green revolution."
