Mar 27 2015
As an embodiment of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s public-private partnership model for innovation and economic development, SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (SUNY Poly CNSE) and M+W Group today announced an agreement to locate and expand M+W’s U.S. headquarters at SUNY Poly CNSE’s NanoTech Megaplex in Albany.
A new 30,000 square foot facility in the $191 million Zero Energy Nanotechnology (ZEN) building will house 160 new and existing employees, as well as Gehrlicher Solar America Corporation (GSAC), a division of M+W U.S., Inc. In addition, it was announced that SUNY Poly, M+W U.S., Inc. and Gehrlicher will collaborate on a 5 year, $105 million solar power plant construction initiative that will create up to 400 jobs statewide.
“Under the leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State has emerged as an international powerhouse in technology innovation and commercialization that also offers the some of the most aggressive economic development initiatives in the world. That is why companies like M+W are investing and expanding here, and creating exciting employment opportunities across the state,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Polytechnic Institute. “M+W is a global leader in advanced tech engineering and construction and has been a tremendous partner to SUNY Poly. We are thrilled to take that partnership to a new level and welcome M+W’s U.S. headquarters to SUNY Poly CNSE, as they strategically align with Governor Cuomo and New York State to further drive high tech innovation and economic development.”
Ron Oakley, M+W US CEO said, “M+W Group has enjoyed a long-term mutually beneficial relationship with our customers in the capital region with 12 successful years of solving innovation challenges and developing technical talent. We are excited to grow our presence and invest in the robust economic development environment that Governor Andrew Cuomo has advanced in the State of New York. We are proud to announce our continued partnership with SUNY Poly and the move of our US Headquarters to the CNSE campus, which will strengthen our relationship as well as increase collaboration and our mutual commitment to make New York State the finest technological hub in the country.”
New York State, and SUNY Poly’s NanoTech Complex specifically, is an ideal location for M+W’s expanded headquarters and operations for several reasons including: co-location with SUNY Poly’s ecosystem of leading edge strategic partners; the considerable amount of high-tech innovation and growth that has emanated from the efforts of SUNY Poly; the competitive business climate that Governor Cuomo has created in New York State; proximity to major cities in the Northeast; and access to a world-class academic institution.
GSAC, a company of the M+W Group, is a national leader in building and integrating commercial and utility clean energy systems, such as solar and energy storage systems, for developers, businesses, schools, non-profits, and government organizations at lower costs than they pay for energy generated by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. The solar power initiative will leverage GSAC’s expertise and SUNY Poly CNSE’s world-class physical and intellectual resources and capabilities, including the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC), to implement research, demonstration and deployment of distributed energy generation projects including solar and energy storage systems at SUNY Poly’s campuses and other facilities with a total investment of $105 million and estimated rating of 80 megawatts. The partnership will create up to 400 jobs including project developers, project managers, on-site construction workers, electrical contractors, civil, structural and electrical engineers and operations and maintenance workers. Current M+W U.S., Inc. employment totals in New York State exceed 2,000, including subcontractors.
The expansion of the M+W U.S., Inc. headquarters at SUNY Poly’s NanoTech Complex and the $105 million solar initiative are made possible through the new M+W – SUNY Poly Research Alliance, which enables collaboration on joint business and economic development projects in support of Governor Cuomo’s comprehensive job creation and economic growth agenda. The Alliance builds upon a long and productive history of collaboration on successful projects that include the design and construction of several buildings including NanoFab South, NanoFab North, NanoFab East, NanoFab Central, NanoFab Xtension, and QUAD-C. SUNY Poly and M+W U.S., Inc. have also partnered to establish a first-of-its-kind Center for Construction Trades Training (CT2) where M+W provided hands-on workforce training in partnership with SUNY Poly for the skilled trades. The new Research Alliance will develop and provide a workforce training curriculum for engineers, architects, project managers and other related professionals to bolster New York’s already highly skilled workforce and enable continued high tech business growth. The Alliance will also promote closer collaboration on future economic development projects and work to locate affiliated or like-minded companies to New York State.
As M+W expands its U.S. headquarters at the NanoTech Complex, it will continue to maintain a presence at its current location: the Watervliet Arsenal. The M+W – SUNY Poly Research Alliance is working closely with the Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership, which has been instrumental in enabling M+W’s expansion, to attract additional companies in emerging high‑tech industries to the arsenal.