Industries
Advanced Manufacturing
Buffalo Niagara is Ideal for Advanced Manufacturing
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Invest Buffalo Niagara Can Assist with your Growth, Free of Charge
Invest Buffalo Niagara has helped nearly 150 manufacturing companies expand or relocate to WNY, joining a cluster of over 1,600 employers including AMDOR, Bridgestone, Plug Power, MedBio, and New Flyer. We can help you grow in Buffalo Niagara too! Explore our resources, then contact us to assist with your project. Our economic development professionals can provide site location assistance, labor market and demographics analysis, market research, facilitate state and local incentive applications, and much more — all confidentially.
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Electric Components
Supporting Electronic Component Companies
Buffalo Niagara boasts a concentration of over 130 machine shops, over 1.5x the national average. Collaborative initiatives like the Northland Workforce Training Center provide for-credit technical training in advanced manufacturing skills like electrical construction, CNC precision machining, machine tool technology, and mechatronics. Northland also offers wrap-around services to equip workers with the soft skills and adaptability they need to thrive.
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Semiconductor Manufacturers
Semiconductor Supply Chain Opportunities
Buffalo Niagara’s extensive heritage in the manufacturing industry, strategic location on the Canadian border, robust infrastructure, growing innovation ecosystem, and status as a federally designated Tech Hub are drawing global semiconductor fabricators and suppliers. Companies are drawn to the region’s affordable and reliable energy, skilled workforce, access to water, and strong university partnerships.
Statewide, New York State is home to more than 150 semiconductor and supply chain companies. In the last two years, companies have announced over $112 billion in planned semiconductor related capital investments in New York – surpassing any other state. And, the nation’s first National Semiconductor Technology Center at NY CREATES will be supported by an $825 million federal investment.
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MEDICAL DEVICE MANUFACTURERS
Prime Location for Growing Medical Device Companies
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Plastics Manufacturing
Opportunities for Plastics Manufacturing
Buffalo Niagara has regional advantages that are perfectly suited to support plastics manufacturers in their expansion or relocation efforts such as an industrial electric rate 15% below national average. Other advantages include robust incentives like 0% state corporate income tax for manufacturing companies, 0% inventory tax, and 0% sales tax on machinery and equipment. And manufacturers enjoy a 5% refundable investment tax credit on capital expenditures, and 50% credit on eligible training costs, up to $10,000 per employee.
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Sensor Technology Manufacturing
Sensor Technology Companies Enjoy Low Costs
Buffalo Niagara’s robust educational ecosystem makes it an ideal choice for sensor technology manufacturers considering expansion or relocation. With proximity to prestigious engineering schools like the University at Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, and Alfred University, along with 47 colleges and universities within a 100-mile radius, including 19 in Buffalo Niagara, the region annually produces over 20,000 graduates in fields such as software development, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electronics.
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Why Buffalo Niagara?
Growing Manufacturing Companies are Thriving in Buffalo Niagara
Advanced Manufacturing companies have a plethora of resources available in our region to help their manufacturing companies grow and evolve.
Sources: US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada (population), Lightcast (establishments and employment), Edison Electric Institute (electric rates), New York State Department of Transportation (multimodal logistics)
Low-Cost Hydropower
Buffalo Niagara's access to low-cost hydropower from the Niagara River is a significant advantage for companies. New York State law reserves and allocates this hydropower for companies planning to build or expand within the Buffalo Niagara region, providing a competitive edge in energy costs compared to other regions.
Diverse Industrial Base
Buffalo Niagara's diverse industrial base includes electronic components manufacturing, supported by a skilled workforce proficient in fields such as nonferrous and ferroalloy production, semiconductor manufacturing, and forging. This diverse ecosystem attracts companies from across the country seeking to leverage the region's talent pool and robust supply chain.
Strategic Location:
The region boasts seven international points of entry accessible via road, rail, and water. This strategic positioning provides businesses easy access to a vast transportation network encompassing more than 3,600 miles of major interstates, state routes, and local arterials. Additionally, the region has over 1,000 miles of track serving four interstate railroads, one regional railroad, and three short-line railroads, along with a major deep-water port featuring 28 terminals and bulk cargo storage facilities.
Attractive Incentives
Incentives play a crucial role in attracting and supporting businesses in Buffalo Niagara. Programs such as those offered by the New York Power Authority and Empire State Development provide incentives such as low-cost hydropower and tax abatements, empowering companies like MedBio and Viatran to invest in growth and innovation within the region.
Energy Efficiency Support
Programs like ReCharge NY, a signature initiative from the New York Power Authority, provide substantial cost savings for energy-intensive industries such as plastics manufacturing. Companies like Confer Plastics benefit from these initiatives, ensuring cost certainty and competitiveness in the marketplace while promoting sustainability and energy efficiency.
Buffalo Manufacturing Works
Shift 2.0 program through Buffalo Manufacturing Works is one of those great programs designed for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The program tailors solutions to help companies utilize innovative technology to reach their goals.
Resource Guide
Invest Buffalo Niagara has helped 100+ manufacturing companies expand in Buffalo Niagara and is well equipped to assist in your expansion project.
For more information, download our free Advanced Manufacturing Guide, with workforce data, training programs, incentive highlights, support resources, incentive highlights, real estate options, and a business expansion checklist.
Wins & Success Stories
See Buffalo Niagara Success Stories
Success Story
Electrovaya
Electrovaya is a Canadian manufacturer of Lithium-ion batteries. The company is focused on the clean energy transfer and prevention of climate change through the supply of the safest and longest lasting batteries in the market. Electrovaya explored a U.S. expansion to ramp up production of batteries within the warehouse distribution and transportation vertical. With its Canadian headquarters based in Mississauga, Ontario, Buffalo Niagara, and its close proximity, was a natural fit for U.S. expansion.
Incentives: Empire State Development Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits, New York Power Authority Hydropower Allocation, Property Tax Abatement, Mortgage Tax Abatement, Sales Tax Abatement
Success Story
T&T Legacy Metals
Both Jim Terhune Sr. and his son, James Terhune Jr. followed a similar career path. They both joined the United States Army and then entered a career in the metal and steel business. Today, with over 60 years of combined experience, the two decided it was time to expand Jim Sr.’s business and have his son James Jr. join him. James Jr. led the process and began looking for communities that fit the company’s brand, sites that would suit their needs, and options that would lower startup costs.
Success Story
AMDOR
Headquartered in Burlington, Ontario, Whiting Group is an advanced manufacturer with multiple divisions and facilities including Lancaster, NY. The company needed to expand its AMDOR division, which manufacturers roll up doors for fire apparatus, ambulances and other specialty vehicle applications. AMDOR considered expanding at its existing facility in Burlington, or establishing its first U.S. site in Buffalo Niagara, Wisconsin or Florida.
Success Story
SWS Warning Lights Inc.
SWS Warning Lights Inc. (SWS) is a Canadian-based advanced manufacturing company that assembles safety warning lights for the construction industry. Their product is often found on snow plows, construction vehicles, and road construction signage. As SWS grew, they saw significant opportunities in the U.S. market, especially since their raw materials were being sourced from the U.S. An expansion to the U.S. would also help the company penetrate the larger U.S. market, establish a Made in the USA product, and reduce overall operating costs.
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
Lynch Fluid Controls Inc.
Lynch Fluid Controls Inc. is a manufacturing company based in Ontario, Canada producing hydraulic and control products.They supply the aerospace, military, and material handling industries. In Canada, they own a 60,000 sq. ft. building and employ upwards of 90 employees. They started to see potential in the U.S. market in rising sales numbers on this side of the border. They were also bringing nearly half of their raw materials over from the U.S. Rather than purchasing an existing business in the area, Lynch decided on an expansion project.
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