Fuel Cell companies meet with suppliers at Supply Chain Exchange

the Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster (NEESC) held its 2011 Supply Chain Exchange in Westborough, MA. NEESC is a regional industrial energy storage cluster of hydrogen and fuel cell companies, and their supply chain. The NEESC program is funded by the US Small Business Administration and is administered by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. (CCAT) in cooperation with the Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition, New Energy New York, Clean Energy States Alliance, and the Hydrogen Energy Center.

The Supply Chain Exchange drew over 130 participants from the hydrogen and fuel cell industry. Participants gathered from the New England and New York regions to attend this event, which linked supply chain companies, including component and materials suppliers, with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create business connections to increase sales and reduce costs. Among attendees at the 2011 exchange were representatives from General Motors (GM), UTC Power, FuelCell Energy, and Nuvera.

Andrew Bosco from GM spoke at the 2011 Exchange and identified the importance of addressing supply chain issues associated with the manufacture of fuel cell vehicles. The Exchange also featured a discussion panel, facilitated by Greg Kleen from the United States Department of Energy (DoE), which prompted OEMs to discuss key issues, including cost, design capability, and corrective action. The discussion highlighted the best ways for OEMs and suppliers to jointly develop cost effective solutions for the manufacture of products in the region.

The Exchange also featured a series of networking events for OEMs and suppliers, including dynamic matchmaking sessions that presented participants with the opportunity to have one-on-one business meetings with hydrogen and fuel cell system manufacturers.

"This event advanced our efforts to improve the competitive position of hydrogen and fuel cell cluster businesses in the region," stated Joel M. Rinebold, Director of Energy Initiatives at CCAT. "We were able to forge successful relationships between manufacturers and suppliers by providing them with the opportunity to exchange valuable insight and make connections."

The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT) helps private and public entities to apply innovative tools and practices to increase efficiencies, improve workforce development and boost competitiveness. CCAT functions as a unique economic development organization that combines expertise in cutting-edge technology with specialized centers of excellence in manufacturing, education, training, energy, and entrepreneurialism. Through these efforts, we promote partnership among industry, academia, and government to create a new collaborative framework for addressing 21st-century economic challenges.

The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage (NEESC) is a network of industry, academic, government and non-governmental leaders working together to provide energy storage solutions for our country and our world. The cluster is focused on the innovative development, production, promotion and deployment of hydrogen fuels and fuel cells to meet the pressing demand for energy storage solutions.