Harford County growing a technology community based on Aberdeen

Daily Record, The (Baltimore), Jun 1, 2004 by Liz Skinner

Aberdeen Proving Ground, the U.S. Army's oldest facility for testing ordnance, also has proved to be a valuable tool for cultivating civilian technology in Harford County.

Many private technology companies have spun out of research conceived of or conducted at the large federal institution, according to Denise Carnaggio, technology development manager for the Harford County Office of Economic Development.

Building on Aberdeen's technology commercialization, the county wants to grow its tech community, which consists of about 50 companies focused on information technology, nanotechnology and other specialties.

Technology companies are a priority of this administration, Carnaggio said. Our future lies in these high-quality, high-tech companies.

Some of the county's biggest technology companies are the Battelle Eastern Science and Technology Center, an R&D facility in Aberdeen; Abingdon-based EAI Corp., which specializes in all hazards preparedness, and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), a research and engineering firm with locations in Aberdeen and Abingdon.

Belcamp-based SafeNet Inc., an information security firm, is one of the biggest technology companies to have its headquarters in Harford County. The company provides private and public network security to more than 5,000 customers in 100 countries.

As part of its technology development strategy, the county has identified eight technologies clusters that are likely to grow well within its borders, Carnaggio said. They are: advanced and engineering materials, advanced manufacturing technologies, automotive design and testing, information technology, materials testing, technical services, biotechnology scale-up and environmental services.

County officials haven't made specific funds available to help technology companies grow within the state, though many funding sources exist, according to Carnaggio. Companies can apply for opportunity loans of up to $100,000 that are meant to encourage job creation and retention. There also is training money available, she said.

In addition, Aberdeen's business development office has been especially helpful to some larger companies in the county, Carnaggio said.

Harford County also is home to the Higher Education and Applied Technology Center, a 152-acre research and development park just outside Aberdeen. HEAT is a cooperative facility aimed at helping growing technology companies increase skills training, leadership and networking abilities. Batelle and SAIC are located at the center, as is WebAd.Vantage, an Web advertising and design firm, and Community Environmental Laboratories Inc., which does environmental testing to ensure safe drinking water.

Harford's Office of Economic Development runs two small incubator spaces within the center and a wet lab facility. Since 1999, eight technology companies have resided in the county's spaces. Seven of those firms moved to other locations in the county after winning a major contract award or after being bought by large defense firms such as SAIC and Northrop Grumman Corp.

Because available work force is critical for any technology company, an academy focused on providing county students with advanced science skills recently was created in Harford. Starting in the fall, 50 students from around the county are set to attend the Aberdeen Science and Math Academy, located at the new Aberdeen High School.

The academy was created through a combined effort of the county's congressional delegation, the state, Army Alliance, Aberdeen Proving Ground and Harford County Public Schools. In addition to receiving advanced science and math training, apprentice programs and seminars, students will interact with scientists and engineers from the Aberdeen Proving Ground.