New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company

WEST TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company and NJM Bank held a ceremonial groundbreaking on May 27, 2009 for its new facility at 840 12th Street in Hammonton. The 146,000-square-foot building brings hundreds of construction jobs to the region and establishes a permanent South Jersey presence for NJM. The Company's headquarters is in West Trenton, and NJM also maintains a North Jersey office in Parsippany.

Congressman Frank LoBiondo speaks with NJM President and CEO Bernie Flynn and Lee Anne Olivo, Sales Department, Hammonton.

"This $48 million facility represents a long-term commitment on the part of NJM, not only for our policyholders but to the South Jersey region as well," said Bernard M. Flynn, NJM's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Considering current economic conditions, we are especially pleased to be providing sorely needed construction jobs for the next 1½ years."

Gale Construction Co., Roseland, will provide construction management services. Stephen Trapp, the President of Gale Construction, estimates that the project will result in 565 construction jobs.

"This is more than just a construction site; this is a commitment to South Jersey," Flynn said in welcoming visiting dignitaries at the groundbreaking event.

NJM President and CEO Bernie Flynn speaks, with Hammonton Mayor John DiDonato at his right.

Honored guests at the event included Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, David J. Socolow; Hammonton Mayor John DiDonato; James Curcio, Chairman, Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders; and Congressman Frank LoBiondo. Michael J. Maitland from U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg's office and Melissa Castro-Marmero from U.S. Senator Robert Menendez's office also were in attendance.

Commissioner Socolow lauded NJM for its role as New Jersey's leading provider of Workers' Compensation insurance.

"NJM has always been at the forefront to make sure New Jersey has the most fair and balanced Workers' Compensation system in the country,'' he said.

Mayor DiDonato and Freeholder Chairman Curcio cited NJM's commitment to building a sound, lasting facility and cementing its presence in South Jersey.

"We are excited that NJM is constructing this facility with green technology," DiDonato said. "NJM Bank also offers another long-term opportunity for our community."

"NJM is a great company in a great location. It's a thrill the company has moved steadily in the construction phase," Curcio said. "We are not swinging in the wind — this is a very solid company."

Congressman LoBiondo extolled NJM's foresight and commitment to excellence.

"You don't have NJM's accolades by doing things the routine way — they're always trying to excel. What NJM is doing is what they have always done — they're leading the way. (This facility) sends a huge message to everyone that they're doing things the right way and they're not satisfied with anything less than that."

There are currently 175 NJM employees in Hammonton, and they will all transfer to the new office, which replaces leased facilities occupied since 2000. Should the need arise to serve a larger base of policyholders, the structure can accommodate up to 330 employees on a daily basis. The design also contemplates that if service requirements point toward additional expansion, the facility can be built out another 104,000 square feet.

"We are focused on serving policyholders in South Jersey and view the region as a source of great potential, both for new insurance and banking business, and for talented employees," Flynn said. "The new building is designed to incorporate future growth."

The new facility is near the center of downtown Hammonton. In addition to insurance offices, the building will also include a branch of NJM Bank, which will provide new jobs for four banking professionals. The full-service bank will include a drive-through ATM kiosk.

"NJM has always been here in New Jersey for the benefit of policyholders, in good times and in bad," Flynn said. "It is gratifying to be able to make this long-term investment in the economy of this state, particularly in South Jersey, and it is a manifestation of our commitment to serving our policyholders."

Part of the Company's fulfillment of effective stewardship involves constructing the building with an environmentally friendly focus. Retention basins will be engineered for maximum return of water to the aquifers. Modern lighting design techniques will employ efficient fixtures, control systems and day-lighting to reduce electrical loads. The use of regional materials reduces the distance for delivery.

Work began on the site in April, with land excavation and installation of underground pipes.

CUH2A Architecture Engineering Planning, Lawrenceville, is the project architect.
Burgis Associates, Westwood, is the project planner.
L2A Land Design of Englewood is providing civil-engineering services.

NJM employs a total of about 2,400 people, including about 1,800 in West Trenton and about 380 in Parsippany.

NJM is the Garden State's largest provider of Personal Auto and Workers' Compensation insurance, with nearly $1.5 billion in direct premiums written in 2008. NJM shares the benefits of its prudent operations in the form of dividends to policyholders. Since 1918, more than $4.7 billion has been returned to policyholders, including $179 million returned on 2008 policies alone.

NJM Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Insurance Company. The Bank experienced solid growth in assets and customers during 2008, and its financial strength enables a prominent presence in residential, consumer and commercial real estate lending.

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