Fulton (www.fulton.com), a global manufacturer of steam, hydronic and thermal fluid heat transfer products and provider of innovative energy management solutions, has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from New York’s Upstate Regional Blueprint Fund to expand the company’s Pulaski, NY, facility. New York Gov. David A. Paterson announced the award during a visit to the facility on October 13.

Fulton’s $13.5 million expansion project will add 125,000 sq ft to its manufacturing facility, including a research and design center where the company will develop and test new alternative energy options while continuing to provide innovative solutions to its customers. This project represents the largest capital investment in the Pulaski community in more than 20 years.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant and appreciate the support for our plans that it represents,” said Kathy Sega, executive vice president and general manager at The Fulton Companies. “At a time when the economy causes many companies to struggle to stay afloat, we are in the fortunate position to be able to look to the future and build a facility that will provide additional jobs for our community as we explore alternative energy options, like biomass and biofuels, that will help to carry us, our industry, and our community well into the future.”

The Fulton expansion project is one of 15 projects that will receive a total of $17.5 million in funding from the Upstate Regional Blueprint Fund. Intended to revitalize New York’s Upstate economy, the $120 million fund was announced in May and supports projects that help provide a framework for future growth in regions with stymied development. To ensure that each project meets the specific needs of its region, all applications for the fund underwent a competitive review process by Empire State Development, administrator of the fund. This first round of funding finances business investment, infrastructure upgrades and downtown redevelopment.

The Blueprint Fund grant represents the second grant awarded to Fulton this year by the state of New York. In June, the company received a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop an ultra-high efficiency condensing natural gas/B-100 biodiesel fired version of the Fulton Vantage 3 Million BTU boiler.

As Fulton applies these grants to alternative energy research, the company continues to meet customer demand for innovative solutions by bringing new products to market. Recent product introductions include the Vantage 4MM condensing boiler (http://www.fulton.com/products/productprofile.php?ptc=bht&uid=16) and the Reliance high-efficiency hydronic boiler (http://www.fulton.com/products/productprofile.php?ptc=bht&uid=4).

For additional information about Fulton and its products, please visit www.fulton.com.

To learn more about the Upstate Regional Blueprint Fund, visit www.nylovesbiz.com.