Festo announces 350,000 sq ft expansion to Mason, Ohio manufacturing center

Summary

April 20, 2018 – The City of Mason and Festo, a German-based global corporation specializing in  automation technology for more than 40 industries,announced the company will expand its existing Regional Service and Manufacturing Center in Mason by approximately 350,000 square feet, nearly tripling the company’s capacity in logistics, production and industrial training solutions offered through its Festo Didactic Learning Center, which serves manufacturing companies and colleges throughout the Tristate. Construction will be conducted in two phases and is expected to be completed by 2024. The company also plans to add 350 jobs in the fields of engineering, mechatronics, purchasing and material management, as well as production and logistics operations, over the next five years. Festo, which maintains United States and North American regional headquarters in New York, first announced its move to Mason in 2013 with a $50 million, 150,000 square-foot facility that opened in 2015 along the I-71 Innovation Corridor. Festo’s leadership team credits the strong foundation established with city, regional and state officials, as well as the opportunities the regional ecosystem provides in terms of talent, connectivity and innovation in Industry 4.0/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as the impetus to locate and expand here. This new investment is a next step in maximizing the 47-acre campus acquired by Festo to meet growing demands in the North American market. The City of Mason, REDI Cincinnati and JobsOhio are collaborating to create an incentive package for Festo. The expansion is contingent upon the approval of those incentives at the local level and from JobsOhio, which will be made public after review from the appropriate approval bodies. Festo also will mark a leadership transition at its Mason campus. Yannick Schilly, the chief operating officer and vice president of product supply for North America who successfully relocated and established Festo’s Regional Service and Manufacturing Center in Mason, will step down. Dr. Nikolas Gebhard was announced as Schilly's successor yesterday during the company's Town Hall Meeting. Gebhard has served since 2012 in various positions at Festo in engineering and with the supply chain division. Schilly will stay on through June to ensure a smooth transition. Festo and City of Mason Provide Model for Strong Public-Private-Partnership Under Schilly’s leadership, Festo has worked closely with the City of Mason to foster a strong public/private partnership that supports community education and talent development; inspires students of all ages to take an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields; and brings economic benefits to the technology ecosystem already present in the city and region. Festo served as a founding partner in launching the City of Mason Innovation Week in 2015 with its Bionic Learning Network, which illustrates how principles from nature provide inspiration and creative solutions to technical and industrial applications. Last year, Festo showcased its Mobile Mechatronics Lab, featuring the latest advancements in energy-efficient automation technology. About Festo Festo is a worldwide supplier of intelligent automation solutions including pneumatic and electromechanical systems, components and controls for process control and factory automation. Festo’s products and services are available in 176 countries. With approximately 20,000 employees in more than 250 branch offices in 61 countries worldwide, Festo’s sales exceeded $3.5 billion last year. Actual figures for 2017 will be released in late April. Each year, Festo invests approximately 8 percent of its revenue in research and development.