WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that family owned and operated manufacturer Mercantile Development, Inc. (MDI) is this week's "Murphy's Monday Manufacturer." Founded in 1947, MDI is a third-generation, specialty converter of professional-grade nonwoven wiping products and is Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified as a women’s business enterprise. MDI employs 46 people and works out of a 155,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility headquartered in Shelton.

Known as The Wiper Specialists®, the team at MDI converts a wide variety of top-quality nonwoven materials into its proprietary Pro-Series® brand wipers that are used in workplaces worldwide for critical cleaning applications. The Quality Management System at MDI is International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified for the design, manufacture and sale of nonwoven wiping products – one of the first in its industry. MDI strives to conduct its operations in a manner that minimizes environmental stress and creates a safe and healthy workplace for its employees through the implementation of sustainable business and manufacturing practices. For example, recent packaging innovations have resulted in industry-leading use of recyclable shrink-wrap to replace boxes and drastically reduce waste. On the energy conservation front, 60% of MDI’s power needs are self-generated by solar power.

MDI believes overall demand for its specialty wiping products and services will continue to grow. Through ongoing investments, the company is positioning itself for advancement to ensure a sustainable business for the future. As such, MDI is an active participant in the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Program.

“For over 70 years, this family owned and operated business has been an important contributor to Connecticut’s strong manufacturing economy. MDI continues to make quality products used all around the country, and their commitment to training the next generation of manufacturers right here in Connecticut will ensure our state continues to stay competitive in this industry. I’m proud to highlight their work,” said Murphy.   

“Developing the next generation of young manufacturing talent is key to bolster our own reinvestment in our business,” said Lucia Furman, president of MDI. “Encouraging policies that bring investment in manufacturing is a keen focus for MDI as well as manufacturers all across Connecticut to fuel needed economic growth.” 

The manufacturing industry plays a crucial role throughout Connecticut communities, creating new jobs and accelerating the state’s economic recovery. Today, Connecticut’s 4,600 manufacturers account for 10% of the state’s jobs and 87% of the state’s total exports. In order to protect and grow manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, Murphy has introduced two pieces of legislation that aim to strengthen existing standards and prioritize the purchase of American-made goods, the BuyAmerican.gov Act and the American Jobs Matter Act.

 

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