Expand your Business to Buffalo Niagara

The COVID-19 pandemic held a magnifying glass to many problems that already existed within our society and economy, one of those being the dependence on far away supply chains of personal protective equipment (PPE). This equipment – gowns, masks, face shields, etc. – has helped protect our frontline workers throughout the pandemic. As the globe braces for a potential second wave and attempts to safeguard against future crises, the community and local government has placed its attention on the revitalization of domestic manufacturing and supply of PPE.

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Magic White Inc. is a provider of commercial dish washing chemicals and equipment, primarily to the restaurant industry. The company has services including leasing dish washing equipment, supplying chemicals and servicing equipment in a very timely manner. Magic White has had a strong track record of success in Canada operating out of the Greater Toronto Area for over 40 years.

GoGoPak is an Oakville, ON family owned company specializing in the sale of retail packaging and promotional products. The company has $1-2M in annual sales with services including custom printing solutions on packaging products such as bags, boxes, tissue paper, ribbon, labels, and string tags. In 2018, they were looking to the U.S. for expansion for various reasons. The high employee and power costs in Canada, their high percentage of U.S. sales and raw materials, bridge issues and delays for importing U.S. raw materials and sending orders to U.S. customers were all factors in their consideration of a U.S. facility. GoGoPak was also looking to bring the outsourced manufacturing for both their Canadian and U.S. orders back in house for better control over the product quality.

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.

PatCom Medical is an early-stage Canadian medical device company focused on improving patient comfort during evaluation and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders. PatCom’s small diameter endoscopes, advanced light and camera technology, and patented Esophageal Introducer allow for easy intubation and more accurate testing, including Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), Videostroboscopy, and Reflux testing.

With 80% of the company’s sales in the U.S., having a physical presence in the States became a top priority. The company was looking for a region with a strong life and health sciences ecosystem, specifically within minimally invasive surgery innovation, as well as potential for academic partnerships.

In August 2020, MedBio – a company headquartered in Michigan – acquired Polymer Conversions, a plastic injection molder operating in Buffalo Niagara. The company was specializing in highly technical medical devices and components with 125 employees. Polymer Conversions (now operating as MedBio Orchard Park, spoiler alert!) needed to expand its footprint and was considering doing so in either Western New York or Michigan.

Incentives: NYPA – Hydropower Allocation, Empire State Development Excelsior Jobs Program, Erie County IDA sales tax abatement