April 23, 2020

Blackburn Energy Inc. recently secured funding through a round of investments to fuel growth through sales of its flagship product, RelGen, a patented battery charging solution that reduces fuel spend, improves uptime, and cuts emissions, according to the company.

February 25, 2020

A municipal planner with two decades of experience is taking over as the city’s new director of community and economic development....“Right now, we have CI Works and Trades Mill (on Chestnut Street),” Cleveland said. “We have some great businesses already happening in the manufacturing world. Let’s keep moving on that and put ourselves on the map on a national scale. There are organizations that can help us do that and I already have great relationships with a lot of those folks.”

January 08, 2020

It’s the dawn of a new decade, and C-10 has a new home. C-10 Research and Education Foundation has moved from Newburyport to CI Works, 11 Chestnut St., Amesbury. - The Newburyport Current 

December 18, 2019

"Mill 4 is one of Amesbury’s most distinctive industrial buildings. Built beginning in 1853, this five-story building is located in the lower millyard at the end of the run of the Powow River. A close look at the building from Mill Street, you will notice a round hole – probably 8 feet in diameter - in the upstream side of the foundation. We asked ourselves – what is this for? Following is some of what we have learned..." - John Mayer, ACM Executive Director

October 16, 2019

We moved our business to Amesbury because of Mayor Ken Gray. If Ken Gray had never become mayor, our company – with its 225 jobs — would not be here. It’s that simple.

May 03, 2019

CI Works, located in Amesbury, MA is a mill building that has been transformed into a multifunctional facility housing a number of small early stage businesses from a brewery to foam insulators, artists, lawyers, and many more. The facility dating over 100 years old totals over 50,000 square feet of office and manufacturing floor space which was comprised of inefficient and inadequate lighting systems and outdated thermostats. 

April 26, 2019

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $529,600 in funding to support three early-stage clean energy technology companies. The funding, awarded through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) InnovateMass program, will support clean energy innovators in Amesbury, Cambridge and Easthampton. The announcement was made by state energy officials during a tour of CI Works in Amesbury as part of the Commonwealth’s Earth Week celebrations.

April 27, 2019

AMESBURY — CIWorks was the setting Friday for a formal announcement on the next round of clean energy state grants from the InnovateMass program.

A state economic development agency established in 2009, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center promotes clean energy technologies, companies and projects.

March 05, 2019

A life-changing moment can come when you least expect it. For Newton resident Sarah Sturtevant, it happened on a business trip to Japan in 2013. With no time for lunch, a colleague returned from a convenience store with the popular snack, onigiri — a rice ball in a triangle or cylinder shape with a savory filling wrapped in nori (dried seaweed). “I was hooked at first bite,” says Sturtevant. 

February 26, 2019

Lyndhurst, NJ – February 26, 2019 – Sika Corporation’s Flooring business unit has recently selected the winners of its annual Project of the Year for projects completed in 2018.  Each year members of the Sikafloor® Partners Club submit projects to be rated on craftsmanship, design/aesthetics, incorporating special requests, overcoming challenges and overall customer satisfaction.  The projects are reviewed by a panel of industry experts and winners are selected in three main categories, along with one project receiving the Judge’s Choice Award.

February 26, 2019

MA Governor Baker announced a Commercial PACE initiative in 2016 (yes 3 years ago);  tied up in cabinet bureaucracy for the first 2 years; and now in ‘legislation’ for the last year.  The program offers huge potential benefits to commercial building owners and seems in line with the Gov’s renewable energy priorities.  Amesbury is fully on board to be the first city in the state to utilize the program and CI Works is working with the city to include our building as a deployment site.  The program offers a competitive advantage to Amesbury vs. nearby NH city / state benefits.  https://www.amesburyma.gov/community-economic-development/pages/pace-program

February 20, 2019

BOSTON (AP) — With steps big and small, Massachusetts is moving toward a more environmentally friendly future in which the state will rely increasingly on renewable energy. One step came this week when Republican Gov. Charlie Baker announced more than $500,000 in funding for what he described as eight "early-stage clean energy companies."

February 19, 2019

After five years of leasing a 50,000 square-foot building from ARC Technologies (now Hexcel Corp.), CI Works is buying the 110-plus year old mill building with plans of turning it into a modern, energy efficient structure for the benefit of its tenants.

January 30, 2019

“I have been walking up and down the range looking for the most innovative product. I found it.”

Alexandra O’Laughlin at PGA Demo Day

January 11, 2019

Taking a drive to Maine over the holidays can be fun. But if you are in the cab of an 18-wheeler, it can be something more than a leisurely outing. 

Andrew Amigo, CEO of Blackburn Energy, needed to chalk up some long-haul miles to collect data on his RelGen technology that captures kinetic energy from the truck's brakes, converts it to electricity and stores it in batteries for various uses.

January 09, 2019

(Amesbury, MA)  CIWorks is pleased to announce that they are now owners of the real estate they occupy at 11 Chestnut St., Amesbury, MA 01913.  It is a 110+ year, 50,000 sq. ft. old mill building that is now operated as a shared use facility, including many manufacturing tenants.  The purchase of the real estate provides CI Works with greater control over the building and lease timeframes than the prior master lease environment allowed.  The purchase was completed with financing through Enterprise Bank on December 21, 2018. 

December 14, 2018

Blackburn Energy, Inc. announced immediate availability of RelGen, a new technology that eliminates dependency on a truck’s alternator to generate electricity. RelGen, an innovative solution applying the principles of kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS), such as those used in Formula One racing, captures energy that otherwise is lost while braking, converts it to electricity, then saves it into a battery array.

November 09, 2018

CI Works is now a sponsor of Cleantech Open. They are offering space for Cleantech Open alumni in their second location in Methuen, MA.

October 24, 2018

The estimated cost to rebuild the seawall is $32.2 million if built in 2025. The committee retained the services of GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., a consulting firm, to consider a range of possible solutions. The findings were made public during a selectman’s workshop last week.

October 16, 2018

I love factory tours, learning how stuff is made, and working with manufacturers so they can become more successful and hire more people.

September 28, 2018

Navigate partner CI Works recently opened its new IndusPAD workspace. IndusPAD is intended to be the leading manufacturing center for clean energy and water related products and other advanced technologies in the Northeast.

August 08, 2018

If you are thinking about adding solar power to reduce your utility costs, but don't like the look of raised solar panels on your roof, take a look in Salisbury at the new roof on the Johnson Lumber building. 

August 08, 2018

As the young nation began designing its first coins, President George Washington was adamant. None of the coins would bear his likeness.

July 01, 2018

Friday’s ribbon cutting at the IndusPAD in Methuen was no ordinary affair with folding chairs and snacks, oversized scissors and a roster of public officials in attendance. 

July 01, 2018

The new owner of the long-vacant Polartec building on Broadway in Methuen is looking to bring the facility, which he renamed IndusPAD, back to life. His first big tenant will be CI Works of Amesbury...

June 24, 2019

We are pleased to announce that Collaborative Innovation Works is expanding to become a part of the innovation hub at IndusPAD facility in Lawrence / Methuen, MA.

June 11, 2018

Manufacturing is returning to the former Polartec textile plant straddling the Lawrence-Methuen city line.

April 01, 2018

CHEERS to Amesbury-based CI Works, which hopes to soon have the Gloucester Engineering building in Blackburn Industrial Park bustling with new business.

March 29, 2018

For more than five decades, Gloucester Engineering was the city’s largest manufacturing business and non-marine industry employer.

Now, after nearly two years of virtual dormancy, its 160,000 square foot building atop a hill at Blackburn Industrial Park is about to get a new lease on life — perhaps as many as 50 of them.

March 14, 2018

Anna Hardy is moving to an old building on a side street here with the goal of reinventing the retail environment in an era when the Internet appears to be eating many retail stores’ lunch.

May 24, 2017

CI Works hosts kayak-building workshop

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"I said, 'Let's do it,"' CI Works CEO Robert O'Brien said. "This is the type of manufacturing that could be coming back to the U.S. and it ties nicely into the waterbound history of Amesbury. You have the river right down the street and you can build them and use them right here."

March 03, 2017

Congratulations to our tenant CapeBuilt Homes. A true triple bottomline accomplishment - social, environmental, and financial results. It truly represents an innovative approach to addressing a number of challenges.

January 19, 2017

A former tenant of the Newburyport CleanTech Center, Bob OBrien, CEO of Collaborative Innovation Works Amesbury, is very glad his company made the move across the Merrimack River in the fall of 2014.

December 15, 2016

The Baker-Polito Administration awarded over $950,000 in grant funding to 23 organizations across Massachusetts, to strengthen community-based innovation and entrepreneurship in the Commonwealth’s cities and towns.

April 25, 2016

Kassandra Gove grew up in Amesbury then headed down to Florida and South Carolina to go to college and graduate school. But rather than staying in a warm climate, Gove decided to head where many people in their early to mid-20s do not: home.

February 21, 2016

Massachusetts and its cities need to create scale up shared use facilities leveraging existing built assets. An appreciation exists from brilliant ideas coming out of world class universities, but no follow through to job creation in multiple industries. Bio and medical related businesses have done exceedingly well in the Boston / Cambridge area, but what about the rest of the state? Innovation centers can be industry or functionally focused to take the ideas from incubators and scale up to revenues and jobs. There are plenty of opportunities for businesses in Mass., but a state wide and coordinated approach is lacking. Unfortunately, the ideas, brilliant minds, and JOBS are lost to California, New York and other areas.

January 28, 2016

Congratulations to Resolute Marine Energy on obtaining approval and financing for a commercial scale renewable energy project off the coast of Africa. Wave energy is an innovative kinetic energy source that is converted to electricity via on-shore inverter. The electricity is then utilized at the project site to derive potable water from sea water. Wave energy is a constant source with high density and at no direct cost. The project will deliver electricity and drinking water to native population areas of Africa that are off the grid for both at reasonable project costs. This award will cover project financing costs and is from the African Development Bank.

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Resolute Marine addresses significant needs for the local population in highly dense locations. This demand represents huge potential for the company with potential locations all along the African coast. RME has received significant US financial support from the US Dept. of Energy to date for renewable energy technology development. They have also repeatedly encountered significant challenges in launching and permitting project sites off of the US coast after many expensive attempts. Coastal African locations do not propose these permitting challenges. They also acknowledge a critical population need for drinking water far outweighs energy cost debates. Finally, there is no existing electrical grid to debate whether the renewable source will be allowed grid access through utilities.

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Resolute Marine has been associated with CI Works (formerly Chestnut Innovation Center) for a number of years in developing their prototyping lab. RME is now positioning for a significant scale up and initiation of their Worldwide Optimization Center in Amesbury, MA. Unfortunately, the commute to the project site in Africa will represent significant challenges for the company. See the link below for more details.

January 18, 2016

Four startup incubators in Greater Boston have received state grants totaling to $530,000 to accelerate the development of cleantech startups.

January 14, 2016

Free lectures, exhibit explore pictures worth a thousand words...

January 05, 2016

As part of his inaugural address and referring to his goal of bringing new businesses and jobs to Amesbury, Mayor Gray thanked Christian Scorzoni and local businessman Dan Healy for helping to bring CI Works (formerly Chestnut Innovation Center) to Amesbury from Newburyport early in 2014, adding over 100 new jobs and roughly 20 new companies to Amesbury.

#innovationcenter, #scaleup, #massachusetts, smallbusiness

January 02, 2016

Rates in/around Boston are great for the owners and mature businesses that can afford them. What do small and early stage businesses find affordable? Current rates approximate $60 psf for class A office and $45 for class B space offering great views, convenience, and a vibrant social scene. How does a small business put a $$$ value on those perks? Space outside of Boston is more affordable and available at a third of those rates and even lower. Factor in building functionality needed for their production needs, flexible lease terms tied to actual sales targets, and flexible footprints that accommodate their actual current needs; then it is a high price to pay for convenience. The most important factor for scale up businesses is what is affordable – real estate, services, supply chain, and available skilled employees.

December 28, 2015

Congratulations to CI Works (formerly Chestnut Innovation Center) company – Currier & Associates for the feature in the Globe on Sunday. Currier moved to Amesbury from Newburyport recently.

December 28, 2015

We host events that promote business and entrepreneurship.  Small businesses are the engine for job creation and the potential source for our tenant businesses.   Our partner businesses can also assist your success in time to market and managing burn rate.

November 12, 2015

They may have an office just outside of Silicon Valley, but iMarc Web Design is now headquartered in Amesbury.

August 12, 2015

Chris Harris always wanted to be an artist. A student at Triton Regional High School, the Newbury native had his sights on Montserrat College of Art in Beverly. Then both his parents died, he said, and “I didn’t have the chance to do it.” He turned to construction and carpentry.

June 22, 2015

Amesbury Mayor Ken Gray issued his first veto earlier this month, and it will cost him $10,000 for fiscal year 2016 and $1,000 for years after that. 

Emily Levy contracted severe chronic Lyme disease eight years ago as a sophomore at Babson College. To battle the disease with intensive medications, she had to wear a peripherally inserted central catheter or PICC line in her left arm.

June 08, 2016

An opening reception for "Celebrating the Work and Wisdom of Photographer Harold Feinstein" will take place from noon to 6 p.m. June 18 at Sweethaven Gallery, cosponsored by Blue Wave Fine Art Gallery.

May 27, 2015

THERE’S A NATURAL process by which some old factories within blocks of the Charles River in Newton, Watertown, and Waltham could have emerged as a hip new innovation hotbed.

May 27, 2015

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem marked his 120th day in office at CI Works (formerly Chestnut Innovation Center) yesterday, meeting with small business owners, as well as state and local officials.

May 04, 2015

These products, and the prices which they will be sold for, might revolutionize the energy market — and power companies should be watching very closely to see how well they work. This is an example of breakthrough technology commanding a large bonus.

March 11, 2015

Building Envelope Materials Receives $50,000 MassCEC grant, with $25,000 in matching funds. Now located CI Works, Building Envelope Materials is working with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development and the Hudson Housing Authority to demonstrate a quick and affordable method for deep energy retrofits on existing buildings. The method will be demonstrated at an elderly housing complex owned by the Hudson Housing Authority and aims to cut energy use by 30 percent. 

January 16, 2015

The study found that home buyers were willing to pay more for homes with solar PV systems – systems that averaged about $4 per watt of PV installed – to a premium of about $15,000.

November 11, 2014

Amesbury’s Mayor Kenneth Gray provided “Welcome to Amesbury” opening remarks with enthusiasm. A strong advocate for the growth of new ventures within the Innovation Center and region, Mayor Gray reflected on his desire to “find a way for companies to feel

January 03, 2015

As a businessman and paddle board racer, Speedboard USA founder and president Bob Blair knows a good wave when he sees one.

When the Newburyport Clean Tech Center moved from the Newburyport Industrial Park to a vacant mill in Amesbury last summer, the promise was that it would create 75 to 100 new jobs for this city.

November 05, 2014

Mayor Gray is really stepping up and reaching into the Economic Development toolbox to bring a hotel to Amesbury when other cities have failed at it for years. 

June 26, 2014

Amesbury Mayor Ken Gray and Newburyport CleanTech Center President Bob O’Brien today announced that the NCTC is locating its new Innovation Center in the former ARC Technologies building on Chestnut Street in Amesbury.

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“Amesbury seemed like a perfect fit when we were looking for places to expand,” O’Brien said.  “The City is making a commitment to attracting new businesses and job growth.  At the same time, it has embraced ‘green community’ status and is making environmental awareness a community priority.  That combination makes Amesbury the right place for us to locate our new facility.”

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“I’m delighted to welcome CleanTech to Amesbury,” Gray said.  “The Innovation Center will be a wonderful addition to our growing business community.  It will complement our efforts to position Amesbury as a leader in Green Energy and environmental conservation.”