Harris Corporation, an international communications and information technology company, plans to develop a new state-of-the-art manufacturing and logistics facility for the production of tactical and public safety radio systems by its RF Communications business.
The plans call for the purchase of a 573,000-square-foot building in Henrietta, N.Y., from Xerox Corporation. A subsequent, total renovation will allow Harris to consolidate its manufacturing operations into a single site, improving efficiency.
"We are making a significant long-term investment in our radio business to better serve the important work of both our U.S. Department of Defense and international military customers, as well as state, federal and local public safety agencies," said Dana Mehnert, group president, Harris RF Communications. "Today, our manufacturing operations are housed in four separate locations. In purchasing this building, along with the help of New York State and Monroe County, we will be streamlining our production, allowing us to bring new products to market more quickly and at a lower cost."
Harris will be purchasing an existing building at 1350 Jefferson Road in Henrietta to house manufacturing, supply chain, product service, logistics and engineering operations. Approximately half of Harris RF Communications' local workforce of 2,300 will relocate to the new facility with the balance remaining in the city of Rochester. The move is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2011 after renovations are complete.
Xerox plans to vacate the building by September 30 and relocate its 1,140 employees to its Webster campus and downtown location.
"Harris RF Communications was founded in this community 50 years ago," Mehnert said. "Our success is directly related to generations of talented and committed workers from this region. We're pleased to reaffirm our commitment to both the City of Rochester and Monroe County."
"In today's global economy, companies have the choice of doing business anywhere in the world, and Harris Corporation's decision to remain in Monroe County speaks volumes about our community's significant assets," said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks. "This project is also critical to the strength and vitality of our local economy because of the highly skilled jobs retained and Harris' significant investment in their new Henrietta facility. We are proud to partner with Harris Corporation in this effort and I'd like to thank them for their continued commitment to Monroe County."
"I am extremely pleased that ESD was able to assist Harris RF Communications retain 2,300 jobs for the greater Rochester community, half of which are tied to our manufacturing base," said Empire State Development (ESD) chairman and CEO designate Dennis M. Mullen. "This announcement is illustrative of the fact that manufacturing is alive, well and thriving in New York State. The critical importance of keeping 2,300 people employed in the region cannot be expounded enough, as the economic impact those jobs have are immeasurable for both the local and state economies."
Harris RF Communications is the leading global supplier of secure radio communications and embedded high-grade encryption solutions for military, government and commercial organizations. The company's Falcon® family of software-defined tactical radio systems encompasses manpack, handheld and vehicular applications. Falcon III® is the next generation of radios supporting the U.S. military's Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requirements, as well as network-centric operations worldwide. Harris RF Communications is also a leading supplier of assured communications systems and equipment for public safety, utility and transportation markets, with products ranging from the most advanced IP voice and data networks to portable and mobile single- and multiband radios.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Fla., the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 15,000 employees – including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications products, systems, and services.