Stratford honors businesses that are thriving there

The town of Stratford, the state Department of Community and Economic Development and the Stratford Chamber of Commerce will honor nine regional companies at the first Business Recognition Reception at Joey C”™s in the Dock Shopping Center in Stratford Oct. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.

New companies being honored include Unicare, which has brought 150 new jobs to town, and Norwalk Powdered Metals, with 24 new employees.

Companies that are staying put and that have expanded within Stratford, also, will be honored. They include Connecticut Distributors Inc., which has added 17 new employees and 50,000 square feet of space to its Stratford site; Aptar, which built 45,000 square feet as it moved its Trumbull distribution center to Stratford; Main Enterprises Inc, which is doubling its employee count from 36 to 72; and Hubbell Water Heaters, which is now at 73 employees and expects to add another 36 positions over the next three years.

Honorees from the state DECD Small Business Express Program include Two Roads Brewing, which began with seven employees in 2012 and now has 81 full-time and 20 part-time employees; Nouvo Pasta, which in 10 years has grown from 76 to 95 employees; and Hampford Research, with 34 full-time employees.

The town, the DCED and The Bridgeport Regional Business Council, of which the Stratford Chamber of Commerce is a member, are the sponsors.

RSVP today, Oct. 22, to aknorr@town of Stratford.com or call 203-381-1351.