The Berkshires have been home to industrialists since the 1700s when the Housatonic Valley was the iron smelting capital of the nation. In the early 1800s Zenas Crane began making paper in Dalton. Stockbridge native Cyrus W. Field completed the first Atlantic Cable and North Adams-born Hiram Sibley organized Western Union Telegraph Co. Later William Stanley, inventor of the transformer, set up shop in Great Barrington, moved to Pittsfield and eventually sold the company to General Electric, which in the 20^th century hired Dan Fox who later invented Lexan.

Fast forward to the 21^st century. Today, the Berkshires is still inspiring innovation but companies are also making conscious decisions to move or start their businesses here. From the historic Crane and Company to the global SABIC Innovative Plastics to KB Toys, the Berkshires has a tradition of being the home to many successful companies.

WorkshopLive opened its state-of-the-art recording and video production studios in Pittsfield in June 2005. WorkshopLive delivers personalized music education through a broadband Internet connection, using proprietary technology that determines each student’s optimal learning style and provides customized teaching options, lessons and learning environment. They have been called the “music education center for the world.” When asked about why they chose the Berkshires, David Smolover, CEO of WorkshopLive commented, “They say the three keys to success in real estate are location, location, location. In business, it’s quite simple — people, people, people. The quality of the labor force in the Berkshires has far exceeded our expectations. Without exception our employees exhibit a tremendous work ethic, creative thinking and dedication.”

Overseas companies have also found this area an appealing and profitable location in which to put down roots. One striking example is Interprint Rotationsdruck GmbH & Co. of Arnsberg, Germany, which established a US base in the Berkshires in 1983 and has recently built a new $25 million 150,000 square-foot facility. Interprint Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Interprint International, which has facilities in Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Poland and Russia.

William M. Hines, president and CEO of Interprint Inc. commented, “When people ask me what has made Interprint so successful here in Pittsfield, I usually reply that we have a secret weapon…our group of dedicated employees living, educated and trained here in the Berkshires.  The commitment, ability and enthusiasm of each Interprint employee are central to the success of Interprint.  Nowhere else have I found a workforce that goes about our daily work lives with such a strong emphasis on our core values.  Our core values are easily summarized in four words:  Quality, Commitment, Passion and Performance.  This is our secret weapon and our competitive advantage.”