Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on Friday announced a major expansion of their public/private collaboration to stimulate the economy by encouraging Massachusetts companies to do business with one another.

Governor Deval Patrick announced the expanded BuyMass initiative during a keynote address today to more than 600 business leaders at the AIM Annual Meeting in Waltham. The improvements include new search capabilities for the BuyMass.org statewide online directory and the introduction of BuyMass Matchmaking, a series of focused business-to-business meetings throughout Massachusetts between global companies and best-in-class suppliers.

BuyMass is supported by major private employers such as Raytheon Company, Procter & Gamble|Gillette, GE Aviation, the DePuy Companies of Johnson & Johnson, New Balance, Salem Five, NYPRO, Mestek and Solutia. The objective is for manufacturing and other companies to develop regional supply networks and commercial relationships that create jobs and economic opportunity for the citizens of the Commonwealth.

“The public and private sectors are working side-by-side to strengthen our economic recovery and help Massachusetts employers find exciting new business opportunities right here in their own backyard,” said Governor Patrick.

“Global companies identify innovative providers of new technologies and products, while young, entrepreneurial companies find important new customers. These partnerships deliver lasting economic benefits for individual businesses, regional economies and our entire Commonwealth.”

AIM and the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development have been working on the BuyMass initiative for more than a year. The formal announcement came less than a week after the inaugural BuyMass Matchmaking event in Springfield brought defense and technology giant Raytheon together with 15 potential business partners offering everything from radar and sonar technology to computer software.

“We are very appreciative for the opportunity to meet with Raytheon and look forward to meeting with other Massachusetts companies to create business growth in the manufacturing sector. We can do business with global companies like Raytheon, but we just need someone to open the door and help us find the right people,” said Robert Klinger, President of Klinger Engineering in Whately.

Richard C. Lord, President of Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Chief Executive of the BuyMass initiative, said the idea of regional matchmaking events comes directly from the companies such as Raytheon that support and advise BuyMass.

“These companies want efficient opportunities to establish relationships that will create revenue, growth and jobs throughout the Massachusetts economy. The fact that Raytheon stepped forward to participate in the Springfield event underscores the company’s longtime dedication to improving the Massachusetts manufacturing economy,” Lord said.

The BuyMass.org online directory includes more than 6,000 Massachusetts companies ranging from global high technology enterprises to physician practices to bed-and-breakfasts. New upgrades to the site will allow potential customers to search for Bay State companies by product, industry, location or designations such as minority owned enterprise or ISO 9000 certified.

Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Gregory Bialecki, who participated in last week’s matchmaking event with Raytheon in Springfield, said the Commonwealth is using BuyMass to help companies looking to locate or expand in Massachusetts find potential suppliers. The idea, according to Secretary Bialecki, is for Massachusetts companies to find opportunities that make business sense for the parties involved and end up growing the economy.

“The Patrick-Murray Administration has worked with the many world-class manufacturers across the Commonwealth and is pleased to partner with AIM to strengthen our efforts to help companies expand their sales in-state,” said Secretary Bialecki.

Founding Supporters of BuyMass include:

Raytheon Company
GE Aviation
Procter & Gamble | Gillette
New Balance
DePuy Companies of Johnson & Johnson
NYPRO, Inc.
Mestek, Inc.
Solutia, Inc.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Salem Five
Chase Corporation
Sturtevant, Inc.
Roxbury Technology Corporation
Humboldt Storage and Moving
Universal Plastics
Artaic LLC
Mylec, Inc.