EP's Aspen Aerogels Celebrates New Manufacturing Line

The state’s top elected officials and a cadre of business leaders gathered at Aspen Aerogels’ East Providence manufacturing facility to celebrate the opening of its new $30 million manufacturing line.

The new Line 3 facility is their third manufacturing line in East Providence and is the latest milestone on the company’s stated goal to stick to a path of steady growth.

The new line expands Aspen Aerogels’ capacity by 25 percent.

The company, which makes innovative high-performance aerogel insulation used mainly in huge energy infrastructure plants, employs more than 180 and is expected to increase its workforce by 10 to 15 percent this year.

Politicians gravitated to the Monday ribbon cutting at a time that Rhode Island is trying to position itself as a better place to do business than its reputation would suggest. After several years of landing at the bottom of national rankings of places to do business and a jobless rate languishing behind the rest of the Northeast, the Governor Gina Raimondo administration has pledged to change that perception through a combination of incentives and regulatory streamlining. And being able to cut a ribbon at a company that is growing and hiring helps put some better headlines out there as well.

“I am honored to be here today to celebrate another innovative and growing company in Rhode Island,”Raimondo said at the event.“Aspen’s investment in our state and their continuous growth is a clear sign that companies can make it in Rhode Island and bring more jobs to the Ocean State.”

President and Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Aerogels Don Young said that the launch of the new facility “would not have been possible with the support and encouragement from the state of Rhode Island and East Providence.

“We are deeply committed to the people working here at Aspen Aerogels, this community, and this state. All of them are integral to our growth, and we look forward to being here for many years ahead,” he said.

For the city of East Providence, the company’s growth serves as an anchor. The ongoing investment in the city’s waterfront has always been about creating jobs and adding to the tax rolls without putting more pressure on taxpayers.

“Aspen is a well-respected member of our community,” said Mayor Thomas A. Rose, Ward 3. “We greatly value their presence here. Aspen is a great example of investment in East Providence’s waterfront and has great potential to drive economic development, job growth, and bring extra revenue to the City.”

Among Aspen Aerogels’ customers is the federal government. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, who attended the Monday ceremony, said that he has worked with the company going back to 2002. Reed is the Ranking Member of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee and said that the company has helped the Department of Defense work more efficiently.