The Eruptor Project Moves Forward In North Amherst
Artists rendering of the Eruptor Lab, slated to be built in North Amherst. Photo: the eruptor.com
The Eruptor Lab, an advanced manunfacturing, research and development, training and small batch production facility to be located in North Amherst made a significant move forward this week with the signing of a purchase and sale agreement for land on Sunderland Road. nuForj, LLC of Springfield, Massachusetts and Scannell Properties of Indianapolis, Indiana, a real estate development and construction firm, are partnering to build The Eruptor Lab.
The facility will be on Professional Research Park land located along North Sunderland Road, North Amherst, and has been designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal Government as an Opportunity Zone, a designation intended to encourage economic development.
According to their web site The Eruptor Lab, LLC was organized to deliver innovative digital fabrication capabilities, advanced engineering, technology and advisory services to its clients in a unique, tech-driven setting. The Company’s mission is to serve as a: (1) ‘smart’ fabrication (small batch/high value) facility utilizing the latest “Mass Customization” technologies; (2) development/demonstration center/showcase for product development; and (3) regional education & product innovation facility introducing the business and educational sectors of the community to new advanced fabrication techniques and technology. The Management Team consists of diverse, seasoned experts ranging from immersive software development, industrial design/manufacture and, 3D Printing to government/industrial relations, international business development and, commercial real estate development
The property will contain a 10,000 square-foot tool hall housing an extensive collection of advanced manufacturing tools and machines. The facility will also include a 2,000 square-foot multi-sensory, immersive, mixed-media workforce development and product realization center. The remainder of the intended 80,000 gross square foot space will contain offices, labs and meeting spaces to serve researchers from UMass and businesses large and small, local and national and, from around the globe.
Clients will conduct research and development, and Eruptor staff will assist with designing, building, testing and perfecting prototypes of products and parts using advanced manufacturing technology and processes. The training center will provide mixed reality capabilities to a wide range of users including schools, colleges and manufacturers, helping companies transition to the use of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes to modernize their operations.
“We are excited to have reached this critical milestone in the creation of this economic development project that will bring to the Commonwealth a truly unique place where UMass Amherst researchers, local, national and international industry partners come together in what will be a first-of-its-kind, state-of-the-art, world class research facility located here in Western Massachusetts,“ said former State Senator Stanley Rosenberg a nuForj Principal.
“Our vision is to create a public/private partnership between academics and businesses, enhancing the surrounding community and, helping our local and national economy enter the new world of “Manufacturing 4.0,” using the most advanced technologies available. At THE ERUPTOR occupants will learn how to produce high quality products & parts, creating jobs, helping grow existing regional manufacturers, create spin-outs and, advancing our economy in order to better compete on the world stage,“ said Springfield resident Rudy N. Vogel the Founder and Managing Principal of nuForj and, creator of The Eruptor project.
For more information contact: Stanley Rosenberg at stan.c.rosenberg@gmail.com
Just some questions: What are nuForj’s accomplishments, besides finding funding to build in North Amherst? Who will own the land and building, nuForj, or Scannell? What exactly will be made in the “Eruptor”, by whom, and for whom? Generalities and platitudes from the principals abound; details so far are non-existent on this project, besides the fact that it will turn 25 acres of land now part of a farm into a 39,000 square foot building with accompanying parking.
Jessica Mix Barrington
Adding to JMB’s good questions:
Perhaps if the developers were required to cover the acre of buildings and the acre of parking with photovoltaic panels, and agree to leave the remaining 23 acres “untouched” in perpetuity, it would prove more palatable?
(One concern is that, otherwise, the developers might just try to “go solar” and cover even more the place with solar panels, as has been seen on so many former farm fields in the area — have a look at the sites along the Norwottuck Rail Trail, just east of the Hampshire Mall….)
This is terrific, I am excited to see this development come about and trust that the architects will make it LEED compliant and set a Gold standard.