Joan Hartley

State Senator

Joan Hartley

Chief Deputy President Pro Tempore

An Independent Voice

April 14, 2021

Sen. Hartley Votes for Bill Supporting Increased Efficiency and Productivity of Operations by Manufacturers

State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), Senate Chair of the Commerce Committee and Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus, lead unanimous approval of Senate Bill 1021 which establishes a manufacturing technology working group dedicated to creating a strategic plan to help integrate Industry 4.0 technology into product development and production processes of manufacturers in Connecticut.

“Industry 4.0 technology” refers to the hardware, software, and other related innovations regarding the digitalization of the manufacturing industry.

“Industry 4.0 technology will allow Connecticut manufacturers to have greater flexibility and efficiency in their operations,” said Sen. Hartley. “It is to the benefit of the state’s economy and the good-paying jobs throughout the manufacturing sector that we explore how we can help manufacturers implement this technology into their businesses.”

The efforts of the working group include:

  • Creating comprehensive profiles of entities that receive state or federal funding aimed at researching, developing, training, marketing, consulting or deploying Industry 4.0 technology or other related services to assist manufacturing startups, manufacturers with under 150 employees at an individual facility, and other businesses focused on manufacturing
  • Identify gaps in services related to Industry 4.0 technology needs of manufacturers
  • Assess participation in small business innovation research programs and small business transfer programs

The working group will submit the strategic plan to the Commerce Committee no later than early October 2022. The membership of the working group will include but not be limited to: the governor’s chief manufacturing officer; and representatives from the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, CONNSTEP, UConn, at least two manufacturers that have less than 75 employees, and at least two manufacturers that have between 75 and 150 employees.