Two big photonics companies, Photonica Inc. and Avogy, are coming to Rochester and bringing hundreds of jobs for locals.
“It’s a $1.6 billion investment and [means] 1,400 new jobs coming to Rochester,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo. “You have a company from Silicon Valley coming to Rochester. Just think of how amazing that is.”
These companies will be the first to come to Rochester as a part of the new Photonics Institute that was announced last year. To begin the expansion, the city will be building a new research and development site in the Eastman Business Park.
Avogy, whose CEO says the company will be moving to Rochester within the next nine months, manufactures power sources for electronic devices. With the use of photonics, Avogy will be able to make chargers that are smaller, lighter, and capable of powering a device for weeks or even months without needing to recharge.
A press release from the governor’s office announced that the positions for which Avogy will be hiring in Rochester will pay an average salary of $80,000 a year.
Photonica is a company that creates video displays and photonic integrated circuits. While the company as a whole is not moving to Rochester, it does plan to develop new products here, which will inevitably create around 400 new jobs over the next five years.
New York State plans to invest $75 million between the companies in order to provide the proper equipment and facilities.
Representative Louise Slaughter released a statement praising the move, saying that it is “a significant stepping stone of success.”
Slaughter also commented, “It was clear that this public-private manufacturing partnership had the potential to create a ripple effect across the region by leveraging our incredible expertise to help create jobs and bring new investments to our community. There’s no doubt that photonics is already helping lift our economy to new heights.”
In 2014, the circuit board and electric component manufacturing industry had a total revenue of about $44 billion. Officials hope that the investment in photonics and the introduction of new business will boost Rochester’s economy.
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