Harris Corporation, an international communications and information technology company, plans to develop a new state-of-the-art manufacturing and logistics facility for the production of tactical and public safety radio systems by its RF Communications business.
The plans call for the purchase of a 573,000-square-foot building in Henrietta, N.Y., from Xerox Corporation. A subsequent, total renovation will allow Harris to consolidate its manufacturing operations into a single site, improving efficiency.
"We are making a significant long-term investment in our radio business to better serve the important work of both our U.S. Department of Defense and international military customers, as well as state, federal and local public safety agencies," said Dana Mehnert, group president, Harris RF Communications. "Today, our manufacturing operations are housed in four separate locations. In purchasing this building, along with the help of New York State and Monroe County, we will be streamlining our production, allowing us to bring new products to market more quickly and at a lower cost."

Harris will be purchasing an existing building at 1350 Jefferson Road in Henrietta to house manufacturing, supply chain, product service, logistics and engineering operations. Approximately half of Harris RF Communications' local workforce of 2,300 will relocate to the new facility with the balance remaining in the city of Rochester. The move is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2011 after renovations are complete.

Xerox plans to vacate the building by September 30 and relocate its 1,140 employees to its Webster campus and downtown location.