Grow your Business in Buffalo Niagara.

Kemper System, a German-based manufacturer of Kemperol, a liquid resin based waterproofing and surfacing system, sought to establish a North American-based production headquarters to increase its competitiveness in the U.S. market. Location, specifically market access, was crucial in their site location decision as Kemper desired to significantly shorten the eight-week lead time to ship product from Europe to the United States. The company also wanted to be close to their large customer base in the U.S. Northeast.

Kemper required a move-in ready site and a competitive incentive package as they were also considering Florida and North Carolina. Furthermore, the availability and cost of the local workforce was a key factor in the decision-making process. The company requested detailed labor statistics to familiarize itself with the availability and cost of labor in Buffalo Niagara.

Universal Logistics is a third generation, family-owned business established in 1949 with 87 employees and five locations across Canada. Over these 70-plus years, Universal have grown and prospered by delivering innovative logistics solutions while still maintaining a family value approach to caring for their clients. Universal’s complete package of logistics services includes international freight, North American trucking, U.S. and Canadian customs brokerage and warehousing/distribution.

In 2009, Universal’s U.S. sales represented only 3-4% of the company’s overall sales, and they worked through a U.S. partner to provide their U.S. brokerage services. However, it was identified that a significant value-added client need would be met by establishing their own U.S. customs brokerage presence. A U.S. office would enable clients with product imports or exports, either to or from the U.S., to receive a single and trusted source for their U.S. customs brokerage, trucking, and distribution requirements. The solution was to take advantage of one of the two options available at the time: a ground level, start-up operation or an acquisition of a U.S. company. In a stroke of good luck and perfect timing, their existing U.S. partner in Buffalo proposed to sell their company and this created the optimum opportunity to make a fast track, strategic acquisition of an established U.S. customs broker.

Patient Pattern is a healthcare start-up company that was originally founded in western Connecticut where it operated virtually. The company has developed a web-based application to alleviate the growing complexity in navigating the health care system and diagnosing and assessing geriatric needs, for elderly patients. Patient Pattern’s software gives doctors, home health care providers, health care advocates, family members, and patients themselves a platform to develop highly customized and comprehensive care plans, resulting in greater control and optimal outcomes. Patients, with input from medical professionals and caregivers, undertake a validated assessment through a smart survey. The end product results in a comprehensive care plan that summarizes the patient’s current situation, tracks progress or decline and delivers recommendations along the way to improve decision-making and preparedness.

Patient Pattern provides their services to local care management companies, post-acute care programs, hospitals and home care agencies to help them understand how to best care for their complex patients.

Victory Manufacturing is a Canadian injection molding company based in Waterloo, Ontario. Their U.S. expansion, Avanti Advanced Manufacturing, set up shop in Buffalo Niagara in 2011. The new operation manufactures detectable tactiles, construction products, and customized injection molding projects with the capability to go from concept to prototype to end-product with significant speed. Avanti Advanced Manufacturing specializes in mandatory safety installations including raised bump floor warnings for the visually impaired, stair grips and new, glow in the dark exit door signs that last much longer than battery operated versions. The new division started with six injection molding machines and has already expanded to nine. The company has also added sand blasting, powder coat and painting, and laser engraving capabilities, as well as a CNC router.

Founded in 1953, John Bead is now under direction by its third-generation owner. Headquartered in Toronto, the company assembles specialty bead and craft kits sold wholesale to large retailers, DIY jewelry makers via a retail outlet, and everyone in between. The company had long considered a U.S. expansion to capture further market growth and avoid logistic delays. John Bead’s leadership team wanted a U.S. location in close proximity to its Toronto headquarters, as well as a strong workforce that would allow its family-oriented values to permeate through the new operation.

Incentives: Empire State Development Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits

AML RightSource is the nation’s leading firm solely focused on Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and financial crimes compliance solutions. The company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, currently has more than 1900 employees around the globe, with a growing presence in the Buffalo area. The company’s rapid growth across the globe and specifically in the U.S. northeast created the need for expansion. AML’s CEO Frank Ewing is a University at Buffalo law school graduate, entering Buffalo Niagara into the location search.

Expansion Project: 75 jobs | $3M investment

Incentives: Excelsior Jobs Program