Boardman Silversmiths Inc. To Grow, Move

The state of Connecticut will aid Boardman Silversmiths Inc.'s move from Meriden to Wallingford, ensuring the company and its 11 employees stay in Connecticut. The company also plans to create 10 more jobs within three years.

The company was looking for a larger facility to expand its line of silver and pewter products by as much as 33 percent and plans to add new and more efficient tools and dies to its inventory of equipment. Georgia officials contacted Burton Boardman about moving his business there, but after working with Connecticut officials, a Wallingford site was chosen as a prime location.

The state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is assisting this project with a $147,512, low-interest loan through the Small Manufacturers Competitiveness Fund to help the company purchase machinery and equipment and upgrade their new facility.

T.D. and Sherman Boardman first established a pewter and silver business in Hartford along the Connecticut River in 1798. Eventually other family members set up shop in other cities. These businesses have been passed down through nine generations of Boardmans, with the name becoming is synonymous with quality and fine craftsmanship in silver and pewter manufacturing. Burton Boardman, who purchased his business from his father Joseph in 1985, plans to sell to his sons, daughter, niece or nephew.

Network Links City For Emergencies

The City of Hartford is launching a new community-wide emergency communication preparedness network using an advanced peer-to-peer multi-media communications solution from Mutualink, Inc., a firm headquartered in Wallingford.

The new network will enable Hartford police, schools, and hospitals to seamlessly communicate with each other in times of emergency. Among the emergency communication platform’s capabilities, schools can share live video feeds with public safety agencies.

Most recently, Mutualink successfully linked together five law enforcement agencies at President Obama’s inauguration, including the Department of Defense Force Protection Agency, the U.S. Park Police, the Washington, D.C. transit police agencies, the Washington Metro Police and the New Jersey Transit Police.

Hartford joins other Connecticut communities including Cromwell, Rocky Hill, Berlin and the City of Stamford using a Mutualink communications network.

The company will be at the Connecticut Emergency Management Symposium on May 12, held at Cromwell Hotel and Conference Center. For more information, see www.ccm-ct.org; the event is free, but registration is required.