Proposal Builds On Centers Of Excellence

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven said a new proposal forged by state and private developers to attract Alien Technology Corp. to North Dakota shows what can be done through Centers of Excellence, combining education and economic development to create high-paying jobs.

"Alien Technology is exactly the type of job creation we intended to stimulate with our Centers of Excellence Initiative," Hoeven said. "The work we've done to bring the company to NDSU showcases the kinds of tools and programs we have been working hard to assemble in our economic development efforts to make expansions like this possible."

Hoeven said the state, along with North Dakota State University, Senator Dorgan's Office, the Fargo/Cass County Economic Development Corp., the city of Fargo and a number of private-sector investors, has put together an outstanding proposal to bring the company to the state. The proposal includes assistance from the Bank of North Dakota; the Development Fund; Jobs Training; the New Venture Fund, created in the last legislative session; and private funding.

The Governor and a team of public and private entities have worked with the California-based firm to bring a state-of-the-art, high tech manufacturing facility to the NDSU Research and Technology Park.

"The prospect of Alien Technology expanding to North Dakota holds enormous potential for our state and our future," Hoeven said. "Smart tags, Alien's primary product, represent the next generation in high technology. It is a product that could broadly affect retail trade and the entire supply chain. For North Dakota, that means not only good paying jobs at Alien Technology, but also good paying jobs and business opportunities with spin-off companies locating near the new facility."

Hoeven discussed Alien with NDSU President Joseph A. Chapman during the Governor's high-tech 2002 State of the State Address, which was featured on the Internet via the state's broadband voice, video and data network. In a "virtual" tour of the state, Hoeven stopped by NDSU's new Research and Technology Park, where Chapman described some of the work the park was doing with defense contractors like Alien Technology.

"Centers of Excellence on our campuses, our New Venture and Seed Capital Fund Funds to get new enterprises off the ground, a simplified corporate income tax -- all of our Smart Growth Initiatives come together significantly in a proposal like the one to bring Alien Technology to NDSU" Hoeven said.

Alien Technology Corp. is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of Radio Frequency Identification (RFI) products. RFI's are used in the growing market for very low-cost and high volume wireless identification, transaction, tracking and sensor applications.
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