A company that makes ‘intelligent’ electronic highway signs says that it is making a smart move by relocating its growing operations to Warwick, Rhode Island, US.
Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian’s office announced Wednesday that SES America (SESA) will be moving in September to a Warwick location, where the transportation information company will double its manufacturing space and plans to expand its work force. The company says that it manufactures a variety of signs that are purchased primarily by state departments of transportation from all over the country.
Some of its signs are solar-powered, others work with Bluetooth and other technologies in order to generate real-time information to drivers, such as how long it will take them to get to a particular city or state line in current conditions. SES president Philippe Perut said he chose Warwick location for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the proximity to T F Green Airport and easy highway access.
"We are very excited with this move to Warwick," Perut said.
"Collaboration with the city’s administration was very productive and efficient. This new facility will allow us to better serve our community and our regional customers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as well as our clients nationwide in Canada."
The company is moving to a roughly 15,000 square-foot building on Quinton Street, off Warwick Avenue on the eastern side of the city. SESA operations manager John Mapel said that being near the airport is very important since the company is often visited by consulting engineers and representatives of the states it is doing business with.
"Being close to the airport makes it very convenient for us and our clients, and all of our employees are comfortable with their existing commute," Mapel said.
"We wanted to keep that in place for them. We are thrilled to be moving to Warwick and this signals a real commitment to our company and to the city."
The public can easily recognise some of SESA’s products he said, noting that some are the ‘amber alert’ highway signs that use a matrix of lights to create changing, easily readable messages. Sample signs posted on the company’s website show large highway signs with illuminated boards that can be constantly updated with new information, whether it is a warning of roadwork up ahead or news of an accident.
Mapel said that while the company’s largest clients are usually state departments of transportation, SESA does not have any big projects in the works right now with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
Avedisian said that the city is excited to welcome a growing business like SESA and it is good to hear that the reasons Warwick was selected match many of the points the city makes when marketing the community.
"We are always trying to show the confluence of transportation of opportunities we can offer businesses with quick connections to the airport and Routes 95 and 295," Avedisian said.
"So to hear them using those same words in describing why they chose Warwick is very encouraging. They are helping to make our marketing argument for us."
For more information, please contact SES America.
