Amherst, N.Y. – Ivoclar Vivadent Chief Executive Officer Robert Ganley and Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE) President & CEO Thomas Kucharski announced today that the company will invest more than $4 million on a major expansion of their North American headquarters on Pineview Drive in the Town of Amherst. A leading international dental company with a comprehensive product portfolio, Ivoclar Vivadent’s expansion of their facility is anticipated to create 33 new jobs while retaining an existing 215 employees.
“Ivoclar Vivadent is very happy to finalize our plans for expansion of our North American headquarters, at our current home here in Western New York,” said CEO Robert Ganley. “There is a thriving dental industry community here and our employees are a critical part of our company’s success. We are very pleased that this expansion will allow us to continue to grow and prosper along with the local dental industry, benefitting from the experience and commitment of our strong existing workforce,” Ganley continued.
Globally headquartered in Schaan, Liechtenstein, Ivoclar Vivadent has operations in 24 nations that provide products to customers in 120 countries around the world. In addition to administrative & headquarters functions, the Amherst facility that will be expanded by an additional 25,000 square feet houses research & development, sales and marketing, education and training services and some distribution functions. The company hopes to complete the expansion by the end of next summer.
The Buffalo Niagara Enterprise facilitated the incentive process for the company and provided assistance with workforce issues. BNE’s President & CEO Thomas Kucharski said today’s announcement is more than just a shot in the arm for the local economy, but also good news for his group’s efforts to attract additional dental laboratory and dental product manufacturing companies to the region.
“From leading international companies like Ivoclar Vivadent to mid-sized suppliers, the dental sub-sector of life sciences is a $30 million industry in our region,” said Kucharski. “Ivoclar Vivadent played an important role in helping us develop the dental opportunities campaign that we launched last March. Beyond the impact of the sizeable investment and job impact, the commitment they have made to our region with this project sends a tremendous message to the rest of the global dental industry about the unique elements our region offers.”
Ivoclar Vivadent is recognized as a global leader in the dental industry. The company distinguishes itself by offering advanced products and services for each phase in the life cycle of a tooth, from prevention to prosthetics. The company is also unique in that it is a global company headquartered in Liechtenstein, with a CEO who travels the world while calling Buffalo his home base.
Empire State Development and the Amherst Industrial Development Agency were also key partners in assisting Ivoclar Vivadent with their expansion.
“ESD is proud to support Ivoclar Vivadent’s efforts to provide an effective and efficient environment to produce its products and grow its market share,” said ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “The dental market is very competitive and this company was faced with the decision to relocate its manufacturing and North American headquarters out of New York State or expand its operations in Amherst. I am pleased it chose New York State, where Governor Cuomo and ESD are working hard to put people back to work, get our economy back on track and restore New York State as the Empire State.”
“The Amherst IDA is once again honored to assist Ivoclar Vivadent with their expansion of their North American Headquarters in the Audubon Industrial Park. Ivoclar is an international leader in dental technology with a comprehensive portfolio of advanced dental products. Their investment in the Buffalo Niagara region serves as a beacon to dental product firms throughout the world that our region, home to the SUNY-Buffalo Dental School, is an excellent location for investment. We thank Ivoclar Vivadent for its continuing commitment to Western New York,” said James J. Allen, Executive Director, Town of Amherst IDA.
About Buffalo Niagara Enterprise – Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, a private, non-profit, marketing, business and economic development organization, is the point of contact for business attraction and investment in the eight counties of the Buffalo Niagara region. Working with local economic development groups, real estate & development professionals, governmental agencies, utilities and private sector business leaders, BNE assists businesses seeking to re-locate or expand in our region with access to the various incentives, financing, site selection and other services relevant to their project. For information on doing business in Buffalo Niagara, visit www.buffaloniagara.org.
