STAMFORD, CT—GE Appliances, a Haier company, has opened a new microfactory here, CoCREATE Stamford, that will assemble appliances, feature an innovative community maker space, provide hands-on educational opportunities for students, and offer unique brand and product experiences for consumers looking for inspiration for their homes and kitchens.
At CoCREATE Stamford, GE Appliances is supporting workforce development by linking with the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU). Through co-op partnerships and other hands-on learning initiatives, CoCREATE Stamford will provide educational opportunities for students interested in pursuing modern manufacturing, engineering, business and similar fields.
“Today, we deliver on our promise made just 10 months ago to invest in Connecticut and bring appliance manufacturing to Stamford,” says Kevin Nolan, president and CEO of GE Appliances. “We’re thrilled to be building appliances in the northeast while also providing local students with opportunities to work with us and learn. Manufacturing is our foundation, but our factory is only the start of what’s to come here. We’re energized about the possibilities ahead when CoCREATE Stamford fully opens to the community, and we look forward to bringing people together to innovate, educate and inspire.”
The Monogram Smart Flush Hearth Oven is the first appliance to be built at the factory. It is a ventless, electric home oven that brings the performance of wood-fired brick ovens indoors.
“CoCREATE Stamford is an innovative model that not only brings economic growth and jobs to our city, but most importantly aligns workforce development and educational opportunities for students interested in the fields of engineering and manufacturing,” says Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons. “We need to ensure we prepare the next generation for job opportunities in these critical sectors, and CoCREATE is doing just that.”
The factory has already started hiring local college students for paid part-time employment that lets them work alongside engineers, experience a modern manufacturing facility firsthand, and potentially discover their future careers.
Since 2016, GE Appliances has invested $2 billion in new products and technology—growing its U.S. manufacturing and distribution presence in multiple states across the country, including its largest operations at Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky.
