Grow Your Business
Expand your Business to Buffalo Niagara
Cost-Effective Business Environment
The region provides a cost-effective environment for businesses, highlighted by incentives such as 0% corporate income tax for manufacturers and low-cost reliable hydropower generated from Niagara Falls and the Niagara River. This can lead to significant savings in operational costs, making Buffalo Niagara an economically attractive option for business expansion.
Skilled Workforce
One of Buffalo's well-deserved nicknames is “The City of Good Neighbors." Our people and specifically our workforce is unmatched, and being backfilled by a strong educational infrastructure with 19 colleges and universities. Our workplace attendance rates are high while our turnover rate are below national average.
Strategic Geographic Location
Buffalo Niagara’s strategic location on the Canadian border – including 7 international ports of entry – is within 500 miles (800 km) of 40% of the bi-national population. It is less than a day’s drive to Toronto, New York City, Boston, Chicago, and more
ACCESS EXPERTISE & DATA
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ADDRESSING YOUR TALENT NEEDS
A Place Where People Want to Live
TOOLKIT
Our resources and services make it easier than ever to expand or relocate your business here.
Invest Buffalo Niagara serves as a single point of entry for economic development inquiries and offers a comprehensive suite of client-driven project management services to companies and consultants evaluating the market area.
Major Employers
You’re in good company. Get to know our leading WNY businesses. As part of your expansion consideration process we can make introductions.
Demographic Analysis
Explore our Buffalo Niagara demographics dashboard plus our Manufacturing and Technology specific data. We can also provide custom data.
Well-education Workforce
Buffalo Niagara benefits from 19 colleges and universities graduating 20,000+ annually. Discover your sources of talent.
Site Selection
Generate property data reports, and search commercial real estate listings. Our team can run a custom search for you and schedule tours.
Incentives
On top of the already low cost of doing business in Buffalo Niagara, the region offers qualifying businesses growing in WNY a number of incentive opportunities. We help companies through the application process.
Service Providers
Our region boasts a robust transportation infrastructure and benefits from strong utility partners who we are happy to introduce you to.
Resource Guide
Your success is our success, we don’t stop until you win!
HOW WE HELP
We've made it simple and painless to expand your business in Buffalo Niagara.
The team of professional economic development consultants at Invest Buffalo Niagara provides free and confidential services to companies considering the Buffalo Niagara region.
Book a Discovery Call
Determine if your company is right for Buffalo Niagara.
Let us Manage your Expansion Project
From research to ribbon cutting -- we’ve got you covered.
Find Success in Buffalo Niagara
Our services don’t end there. Upon expansion or relocation, we’re here to provide connections to hiring agencies, media contacts, and more to help ensure your success.
Key Industries
Discover Thriving Industries in Buffalo Niagara
Business is booming in a region undergoing an all-encompassing renaissance. The region’s diversified and growing economy has been recognized by leading business publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, CNBC, Business Week, and more.
Logistics & Distribution
Buffalo Niagara is a fully operational, integrated center for transshipment, storage, collection, and distribution of goods.
Life Sciences
Buffalo Niagara has long been a hub of innovation in life sciences and health sciences.
Food & Beverage Processing
The Buffalo Niagara region is a cornerstone of New York State’s $3.6 billion agribusiness and food and beverage processing industries.
Advanced Manufacturing
Buffalo Niagara has enjoyed a long history of manufacturing success and is in the midst of a new wave of innovators and builders changing the future of advanced manufacturing.
Advanced Business Services
Invest Buffalo Niagara has assisted more than 60 advanced business services companies expand or startup in the region like Yahoo!, One Touch Direct, AML RightSource, and Rural Sourcing.
Wins & Success Stories
See Buffalo Niagara Success Stories
Success Story
Kyklo
Kyklo is a software as a service company that helps businesses build their cloud marketplace sales, specifically in the industrial sector. The company is based in Thailand and was looking for a location for their U.S. based headquarters in 2019. Decision makers started with a list of nine U.S. metro areas including Brooklyn, Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville, Raleigh, Tampa, and Buffalo. The company prioritized locations that had access to a talented and skilled workforce, desirable office location options, and an affordable business climate.
Success Story
Welded Tube USA
Headquartered in Concord (Toronto), Ontario, Welded Tube is a manufacturer of steel tubing, whose process is comprised of taking flat steel and forming it into round tubing 4½ to 9 inches in diameter, in custom lengths. The tubes are used for well casings and for other purposes at natural gas drilling sites, a growing market as drilling activity has grown rapidly in shale formations in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company currently employs more than 600 people in North America.
Success Story
Plug Power
Plug Power is a fuel cell company that is “reimagining the energy ecosystem.” The company is building an end-to-end hydrogen power ecosystem including hydrogen production, storage, and delivery with the goal of assisting in the clean energy transfer and decarbonizing the modern economy. Plug Power’s fuel cells will enable the adoption of zero-emission freight transport and logistics handling equipment. The company already had operations in the Albany, NY area and was looking to expand its production capabilities further.
Incentives: Excelsior Job Tax Credits, IDA Tax Abatements, NYPA: Hydropower Allocation, WNY Power Proceeds Program
Success Story
Surmet Ceramics
Surmet is a Massachusetts-based advanced materials manufacturer with operations in Buffalo. The company produces high-tech transparent ceramic powders and coatings used in aerospace and defense applications. Surmet was investing in new technology and equipment in order to consolidate its forming and heat-treating capabilities into one location where it would produce transparent ceramic windows, lenses and armor. For this expansion of capabilities, space, and workforce, Surmet considered several options including Buffalo Niagara and at its headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts.
Incentives: Empire State Development Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit award, New York Power Authority expansion/retention power allocation, Erie County IDA sales tax abatement
Success Story
Viatran
Viatran is a subsidiary of a publicly-traded, out-of state parent company, operating as a separate division in the Buffalo Niagara region. Viatran manufactures pressure sensors and transmitters, servicing a wide variety of industries. Viatran manufactures new products and repairs legacy product in a rapid response environment based on lean manufacturing and advanced electronic commerce capabilities. The company’s lease was coming due and at the same time the division was poised for a significant expansion, making their previous facility inadequate for the growing demand. The local leadership team was tasked with conducting a global search for the most appropriate venue to expand their operations, including other corporate facilities with capacity in Massachusetts, Texas, and Malaysia..
Success Story
Sentient Science
Sentient Science is a materials informatics software development company originally headquartered in Idaho. Founded in 2000, the company invented a testing technology that replaces the physical testing of materials and components used in the manufacture of helicopters, bridges, medical devices, wind turbines and other products. Sentient’s process uses simulators and sensors to determine how the materials will react under various stresses and determines when they will need replacement. Its sensors and software perform these tests in the virtual realm, saving clients time and money.
Available Commercial Properties
Explore properties in the region
Browse through a range of commercial properties tailored to suit every business need in the thriving Buffalo Niagara region. From modern office spaces to development locations, discover the perfect space to elevate your business and capitalize on the region’s growth opportunities.
Blog
Top stories & updates in the Buffalo Niagara region
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