Heat-transfer products manufacturer Fulton has been given a $1.5 million grant to expand its New York state facility.

The announcement was made during an Oct. 13 visit by New York Gov. David A. Patterson to the company’s Pulaski, N.Y., plant in upstate New York. The money will help Fulton complete a $13.5 million expansion at the facility, which includes a research and alternative energy center.

The project represents the largest capital investment in Pulaski in two decades, officials said.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant and appreciate the support for our plans that it represents,” said Kathy Sega, executive vice president and general manager at the Fulton Cos. “At a time when the economy causes many companies to struggle to stay afloat, we are in the fortunate position to be able to look to the future and build a facility that will provide additional jobs for our community as we explore alternative energy options, like biomass and bio fuels, that will help to carry us, our industry and our community well into the future.”

The grant money is part of a $17.5 million effort to bolster and diversify update New York’s economy.