Growing company to stay in Rochester

One of the fastest growing medical companies in Rochester announced it will be keeping its workforce and adding 50 new jobs over the next few years. Ortho-Clincal Diagnostics  announced its making a multi-million dollar investment in a building in Kodak park.

“Countries all across the world are competing for this kind of investment," said Dan Gunderson of the Empire State Development Corporation.

Ortho-Clincial Diagnostics provides medical equipment around the world, and its research headquarters are located right here in Rochester. Company leaders and Governor Eliot Spitzer announced its facility in Kodak Park is here to stay.

”Our choice was really either make an investment to purchase it long-term or if we weren't able to do that we would have to start making plans to move outside the state," said Stewart Magloff, the vice president of OCD.

The choice to stay in Rochester means 450 jobs will remain in Kodak Park. OCD also employs 650 people in its two other locations in the city.  Company officials say if they had to relocate, they would lose the knowledge and skill set of the people who make the diagnostic products.

”If we were to have to move somewhere else, it would have been a very large risk for us to be able to sustain our business,” Magloff said.

The Johnson & Johnson-owned company will be investing a total of 80 million dollars into the development of the building it has been leasing.

”We plan to do some other capital improvements to the building,” Magloff said, “and we also have committed to make some manufacturing improvements down the road.

And the state is helping to pave the way. The empire state development corporation will pitch in two million dollars for the investment.

”It is a help,” Magloff said. “It's a signal that they have been very willing to create a productive business environment.”