The Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown recently welcomed new companies to its flex industrial campus, including Survitec, a United Kingdom-based company that makes marine, energy, aerospace and defense survival technology, and delivery company PrimeFish Seafood.
The companies join more than 200 businesses and 12,200 workers at the 3,200-acre business park, where 1 out of every 6 Rhode Island manufacturers are located. Steven J. King, Quonset Development Corp. managing director, says flex industrial is a winning combination.
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PBN: What would you say is the biggest need the flex industrial campus addresses for businesses?
KING: The flex industrial campus fills a void in New England by providing more industrial and warehouse space. Flex buildings are designed to be an easy solution for a new startup or a business that needs room to grow. Along with our development partner, we have created leasable units ranging from 2,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet, with some pre-construction units up to 40,000 square feet. Combined, the four flex buildings already host six companies.
We are currently building the fifth flex industrial building, with 10 buildings in total planned. These state-of-the-art buildings have proved popular in the marketplace because they are equipped with high bay space for manufacturing, assembly or warehouse use. They also provide full-service utilities and customizable spaces. Some also have office space.
PBN: Could you provide a quick synopsis on what’s leased and what remains to be leased at the campus?
KING: Today there are 200 acres of land … available, with sites ranging in size from 1 acre to 42 acres. That’s over 2 million square feet of potential for new or expanding businesses to host new jobs.
PBN: There are a variety of business types at Quonset, from manufacturing to aquaculture. Is this by design? If so, why is this important?
KING: Since 2005, Quonset has generated nearly 7,000 new jobs and $1.4 billion in private investment, with nearly $3 billion in private investment since 1980. This success is due in part to our focus on attracting a variety of businesses to the park, ensuring that growth continues despite any challenges that may face a specific industry.
PBN: Providence Business News quoted you in 2020 as saying manufacturers may be motivated to lease at Quonset, with more control over operations as supply chain breakdowns materialize. It’s now two years later. Could that be the case with current tenants, or are there other draws to the site for them?
KING: Businesses come here for the predictability and stay because of the first-rate service the Quonset team provides. Our goal is to continue to provide world-class infrastructure so that Quonset companies can remain focused on running and growing their business.
The pandemic has created uncertainty and instability for businesses large and small. We take our role of supporting our companies seriously, remaining flexible to meet their needs and continuing to maintain the business park’s essential services.
Quonset is a unique multi-modal business park where we have easy highway access, our own railroad, an airport and the Port of Davisville – Rhode Island’s only public port. These features make the difference in providing businesses increased ease of access to both their suppliers and customer base.
PBN: What is next for Quonset?
KING: Quonset just launched RI Ready, a $40 million, statewide industrial site readiness program. RI Ready is based on Quonset’s successful site readiness initiative where we provide a streamlined permitting process and guarantee new businesses will have shovels in the ground within 90 days of signing a lease.
RI Ready’s goal is to create a statewide inventory of pre-permitted properties ready for industrial development. With the support of their host city or town, representatives of eligible projects will work with Quonset, our partners at [the] R.I. Commerce [Corp.], state agencies and other regulators to become ready to do business here.
Quonset is also moving ahead with infrastructure planning to service the growing wind energy industry. Gov. [Daniel J.] McKee announced recently that $60 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds will be invested at the Port of Davisville – this investment will preserve thousands of jobs and help prepare for the wind energy jobs of the future.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
