Summer growth at Quonset Business Park highlights Rhode Island’s economic momentum - by Steven J. King

Every season brings new economic activity to the Quonset Business Park, but this summer is an especially busy one.

Across the park and throughout Rhode Island, companies are investing, expanding and creating jobs. This is confirmation that advanced manufacturing, logistics, defense, and the blue economy continue to gain momentum in the Ocean State.

In partnership with REGENT Craft, Equity Industrial Partners, and Integrated Builders, we have completed construction on REGENT’s state-of-the-art Seaglider manufacturing facility, turning an empty parcel into a 255,000 s/f global production hub in just 18 months. With commercial orders exceeding $10 billion and plans to create hundreds of jobs over the next decade, REGENT is helping show that Rhode Island can compete—and win—in emerging advanced manufacturing industries.

Cold-Link Logistics is also growing at Quonset, breaking ground on a 65,000 s/f expansion that will double the capacity of its refrigerated warehouse. As food distribution networks continue to evolve, Cold-Link’s investment strengthens Rhode Island’s position in the regional supply chain.

Beyond the business park, Raytheon recently broke ground on a major expansion of its Portsmouth campus with support from our Rhode Island Ready program, the statewide industrial site readiness initiative modeled after Quonset’s own successful site readiness model. Raytheon’s $100 million investment will support 150 new high-tech jobs while expanding radar testing capacity and Patriot GEM-T subcomponent production.

These projects span very different industries, but they share an important connection: each reflects these companies’ commitment to invest and grow here in Rhode Island.

At Quonset, that confidence is backed by world-class infrastructure. Companies have access to the Port of Davisville, highways, freight rail, an airport and modern utilities, as well as a skilled workforce. Through Rhode Island Ready, we are helping communities across the state apply that same approach to prepare sites for new investment.

Perhaps most encouraging is that much of our recent growth comes from expansion of companies already operating here. Employers have confidence that their long-term investments here will pay dividends. 

Economic development is not about chasing the next announcement. It is about creating the conditions for companies to stay, invest and grow year after year.

This approach requires continued investment in transportation infrastructure, strong workforce development efforts and a predictable permitting process. Best practices like these are often the reason companies decide where to make their next multimillion-dollar expansion.

This summer’s growth is exciting, but it also reinforces something we have known for decades: when government, industry and community partners come together, business can thrive and create opportunities for Rhode Islanders.

At Quonset, we provide the foundation that allows those partnerships to flourish. Rhode Island’s manufacturing momentum is not a long-term goal. It is happening right now.

Steven J. King, P.E. is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corp., North Kingstown, R.I.