Excelitas Technologies moving headquarters to Pittsburgh, expected to create 250 jobs
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A photonics technology company is relocating its headquarters to Pittsburgh in a move that officials expect to create at least 250 jobs over the next four years.
Excelitas Technologies, currently located in Waltham, Massachusetts, committed to a 12-year lease for a space on Railroad Street in the Strip District, the Shapiro administration announced on Tuesday.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration spent the last few months of 2023 selling Excelitas leadership on moving their headquarters and operation to Pittsburgh. The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development for a $2.3 million Pennsylvania First grant.
"For the past year, I've been telling the world that Pennsylvania is open for business ― and Excelitas clearly agrees," Shapiro said in a news release. "We are competitive as hell, and today's announcement that Excelitas chose Pennsylvania over Ohio is a huge win for Pittsburgh and our entire Commonwealth."
Shapiro said Excelitas coming to Pittsburgh also signals that western Pennsylvania is a national hub for technology.
Excelitas, according to its website, is "a photonics technology leader focused on delivering innovative, high-performance, market-driven solutions to meet the lighting, optronics, detection and optical technology needs" of its customers worldwide. The company employs 8,000 people across 33 locations in North America, Europe and Asia.
"Excelitas is a leading photonics technology business with a strong global footprint, and we are proud to call Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania home," said Excelitas Technologies CEO Ron Keating in a press release. "Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania region have developed a significant high-technology presence, combined with a strong work ethic and an engaged state and local leadership who understand the value of job creation. These factors provided attractive competitive differentiators when we undertook our site selection process. We would like to thank Governor Shapiro and his Administration for their strong and compelling support."
The company plans to be open in Pittsburgh by early summer.
