GE Appliances, a Haier company, continues advancing its commitment to American manufacturing with the opening of its newest manufacturing operation in Stamford, Connecticut. 

This morning, GE Appliances President & CEO Kevin Nolan joined with area workforce development leaders at CoCREATE Stamford to celebrate the production launch for the microfactory with the first appliance rolling off the line.

"Today we deliver on our promise made just ten months ago to invest in Connecticut and bring appliance manufacturing to Stamford,” Nolan said. "We’re thrilled to be building appliances in the northeast while also providing local students with opportunities to work with us and learn. Manufacturing is our foundation, but our factory is only the start of what’s to come here. We’re energized about the possibilities ahead when CoCREATE Stamford fully opens to the community and look forward to bringing people together to innovate, educate and inspire.”

The Monogram Smart Flush Hearth Oven is the first appliance to be built inside CoCREATE Stamford’s state-of-the-art microfactory. It is a ventless, handcrafted all-electric home oven that brings the performance of wood-fired brick ovens indoors. With enhanced design and cooking features, the Monogram Smart Flush Hearth Oven is a next-generation product built on the success of the popular Monogram Hearth Oven launched in 2019. 

GE Appliances expects to launch additional appliance innovations from CoCREATE Stamford as early as next year.

During the event, Stamford Economic Development Director Loren Nadres and AdvanceCT CEO Peter Denious were invited to place the final screws into the oven. 

They also had the opportunity to work with a local pizza maker on-site to create and cook their own pizzas to help demonstrate how the oven works.

“CoCREATE Stamford is an innovative model that not only brings economic growth and jobs to our City, but most importantly aligns workforce development and educational opportunities for students interested in the fields of engineering and manufacturing,” said Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons. “We need to ensure we prepare the next generation for job opportunities in these critical sectors, and CoCREATE is doing just that. The City of Stamford is thrilled to have GE Appliances in our community, and we are eager to continue being a partner as CoCREATE Stamford moves forward and evolves to reach its fullest potential.”

"I think the innovation and creative thinking that this brings is something that schools across Stamford and Connecticut will benefit from," Nadres added. "I love that education and workforce development are a huge part of this initiative. It will be key in helping build manufacturing and engineering here in Stamford. We're really grateful to have GE Appliances right here in our city." 

The microfactory is the first completed phase of CoCREATE Stamford, a co-creation destination announced last fall by GE Appliances designed to merge innovation, education and inspiration in unique ways. 

In addition to modern manufacturing, when fully open, CoCREATE Stamford will feature a collaborative makerspace for the community, provide hands-on educational opportunities, and offer unique brand and product experiences for consumers looking for inspiration in the kitchen and home space.

GE Appliances is also building on its longstanding commitment to supporting workforce development at CoCREATE Stamford through partnerships with the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State College and Universities. CoCREATE Stamford has already started hiring local college students for paid part-time employment that lets them work alongside engineers, experience a modern manufacturing facility firsthand, and potentially discover their future careers.

"It's so great to see GE Appliances in Connecticut, where the business traces its early roots," Denious said. "Their landmark CoCREATE center will provide visitors a unique window into manufacturing, a hands-on training facility in addition to an engaging retail experience. GE Appliances' commitment to innovation and giving back to the community is a powerful combination that will enrich Stamford and the state of Connecticut."

CoCREATE Stamford expects to be completely open by the start of 2023.

Since 2016, GE Appliances has invested $2 billion in new products and technology—growing its U.S. manufacturing and distribution presence in multiple states across the country, including its largest operations at Appliance Park in Louisville, Ky.