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In addition to the reporting by Connecticut Public Radio that appears below, Connecticut Public Television has produced two video series that focus on manufacturing in our state:Made in Connecticut profiles some of Connecticut's local manufacturing businesses, from high-tech to handmade.Making the Future introduces us to some Connecticut youth pursuing careers in manufacturing and the trades. This series was produced as part of the American Graduate: Getting to Work project with support form the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Bevin Bells On The Road To Recovery

Tucker Ives

It's been six weeks since the Bevin Brothers factory burned to the ground and the East Hampton company is moving forward with plans to rebuild. 

Since the devastating fire, Bevin Bells has received an outpouring of support from across the country. That support convinced the company's president, Matthew Bevin to get his family's business up and operating again.

"We will continue to put one foot in front of the next until we're continuing to make bells in Belltown," said Bevin.

Here's the thing about bells: even the daintiest ones are durable. Tens of thousands of them survived the devastating fire and Bevin is now selling them to raise money for the new factory.

"There's a bell that was recovered from the fire and it still sounds great."

Overlooking the burned down factory, Senator Richard Blumenthal joined Bevin and said he was talking with various federal agencies about ways to support Bevin Bells recovery.

"This story has impressed and inspired people all across the country. We can make it a national success story," said Blumenthal.

The State of Connecticut's Small Business Express Program has provided $100-thousand in matching grants to buy new machinery and equipment.

The state provided the same grant to PSI Plus - a cylinder company located in the same factory.

The company is a few weeks away from being able to produce bells in their temporary facility in East Hampton. They still have orders to fill, including a big order from the Salvation Army.

"It is our intent that when you hear the bells ringing on the street corners by the red kettles this Christmas, they will be Bevin Bells," said Bevin.

Senator Blumenthal bought two bells as gifts. One for President Obama and one for Vice President Biden.

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