Danbury’s ATMI, Inc Is Part Of ‘SBA 100’

HARTFORD — Danbury-based ATMI, Inc has been selected as one of the US Small Business Administration’s SBA 100 companies. This month the SBA is highlighting 100 businesses throughout the United States that have created at least 100 jobs since receiving SBA assistance.

Each business received SBA support in the form of capital, contracting, counseling, or investment before going on to create at least 100 jobs. Descriptions and a photograph gallery of each of the SBA 100 companies can be found at www.sba.gov/100. ATMI was founded by five scientists in 1986 to improve the safety of environments in which semiconductors are manufactured. Growth was funded in part with 182 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR ) grants.  

The SBIR program encourages innovative small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization.

Today, ATMI is a global leader in specialty semiconductor materials and packaging products. It employs close to 800 people throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe, generates more than $350 million in annual revenue, and boasts a market cap of almost $600 million.

“Without the SBIR Program, ATMI would barely have existed, and would not have been able to become the public company it is today,” said ATMI founder Gene Banucci. “After all, creativity without the opportunity to create doesn’t do much.”

SBA District Director Bernard Sweeney said the SBA 100 is represented by small Main Street businesses that have succeeded in hiring and growing their businesses during hard economic times, especially in times such as have been experienced in the last three years. 

“These companies have sought SBA’s help and under the guidance of many of programs and partnerships have succeeded in planning for their future,”  he added.

The SBA provides small businesses with the tools and resources they need to grow and create jobs.  With the help of SBA, the SBA 100 companies have succeeded and created thousands of jobs across America.