PLATTSBURGH — The community got a glimpse of Fujitsu Frontech North America's expanded Manufacturing and Integration Center on Wednesday.
The company held a grand re-opening celebration at the recently renovated facility in Air Industrial Park in the Town of Plattsburgh. Fujitsu Frontech North America has moved all of its point-of-sale equipment (computerized checkout and cash registers) manufacturing for North America to Plattsburgh.
50 NEW JOBS
Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Dick Zarski said a lot of positive changes have occurred here in the last few months.
"In April, we made the announcement we were going to consolidate our manufacturing and supply chain here in Plattsburgh," he noted.
The decision to move those positions from California led to creation of 50 additional jobs in Plattsburgh.
Zarski said they were thrilled to be able to tap into a pool of very talented people.
He said the company's equipment can be seen at a number of local retailers, including Price Chopper, where self-checkout systems built at the plant two days ago were being installed Wednesday.
COMMUNITY ROLE
Fujitsu Frontech North America President and CEO Yoshi Masuda welcomed the audience to the new Fujitsu Frontech North America.
"We appreciate your time this morning to celebrate our grand reopening," he said.
Fujitsu has a long tradition of supporting the community and the environment, Masuda said. It has been a long-term supporter of CVPH Medical Center and donated $10,000 in scholarship funds to CV-TEC.
He said the company hopes to have a role in the continued development of Plattsburgh and Clinton County.
"We are looking forward to a long and prosperous future for the community," Masuda said.
GOALS
Fujitsu Frontech Limited President and Managing Director Hirosada Tone said the company has two main objectives for the Plattsburgh location this year: to introduce a new point-of-sale system early in 2012 and to streamline its supply chain to increase efficiency.
Fujitsu Frontech North America plans to ship about $5 million in inventory next year from Plattsburgh, up from $800,000 in the year before consolidation.
"I'm proud to be with you today and look forward to a long and successful future in Plattsburgh," he said.
'WORLD CLASS'
Development Corp. President Adoré Flynn Kurtz said it was a pleasure to celebrate Fujitsu Frontech's expansion here. It is an indication of the success that quiet collaboration can bring.
"Fujitsu Frontech is truly a world-class company, no doubt at least in part because of the contributions of its Plattsburgh-based workforce," she said.
Clinton County received a $500,000 Small Cities grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal to assist with workforce training and some equipment purchases. Kurtz said that office was quick to support the opportunity to create 50 new jobs.
"We thank New York state for delivering its share of federal Community Block Grant funds to Clinton County and to its workers and to all of us here," she said.
GOOD INVESTMENT
Chris Leo, executive director of programs and planning for New York State Homes and Community Renewal, said Fujitsu's $2.8 million investment in the Plattsburgh facility is almost a five-fold return on the state's investment. Zarski said the company also received $250,000 in tax credits through Empire State Development's Excelsior Jobs Program.
U.S. Rep. Bill Owens said many of the people who helped make the move happen were visible in the crowd. It is the region's collaborative spirit that creates moments like this, he said.
"That's really the idea that makes Plattsburgh and the North Country special."
It also shows we can bring jobs to the North Country, he said.
Plattsburgh Plant Manager Terry Beyer read a statement from State Sen. Betty Little, who said it's great that a high-tech company such as Fujitsu sees the quality of Plattsburgh and the North Country.
"I look forward to supporting their efforts in the months and years ahead," she said.
COLLABORATION
North Country Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Paul Grasso also emphasized the collaboration that made this possible. He said that in other regions where he has worked, the workforce development specialists are usually brought in at the last minute, but that is not the case here.
Grasso credited Stacy Soucy and Sue Myers of the New York State Department of Labor and David and Hope Coryer at ETS with doing most of the work to find employees qualified for the new jobs.
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said the day was also a celebration of the business culture at Fujitsu. It represents a time when most American companies were committed to their community, but that seems to have been lost in the last few decades as companies closed up factories in pursuit of higher profits.
"Fujitsu is representative of the culture we need to get back to," he said.
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