Governor Kathy Hochul announced on 9 October that Solstice Advanced Materials—spun off from Honeywell last year—will invest $49 million to expand its research-and-development campus in Buffalo, New York. The project, backed by up to $1.4 million in Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits, will add 120 high-salary positions in chemical engineering, semiconductor materials and energy-storage research. Solstice CEO Mark Vergnano said the site will become the company’s “global innovation flagship,” supporting next-generation refrigerants, foam-insulation gases and battery materials. The firm already employs 60 foreign specialists on H-1B, TN and E-2 visas across the U.S.; executives told reporters they expect to file at least 40 additional visa petitions over the next two years to staff the expanded facility. Why it matters: New York has struggled to retain advanced-manufacturing projects that often gravitate toward lower-cost Sun Belt states. By anchoring its R&D in downtown Buffalo, Solstice strengthens the region’s claim to be an emerging hub for cleantech and semiconductor supply-chain talent. Mobility takeaways: employers considering similar upstate projects can leverage New York’s aggressive tax incentives but must navigate prevailing-wage rules that mirror federal PERM requirements. The Buffalo USCIS field office currently shows a 7-month median for employment-authorization documents; stakeholders should plan assignments accordingly. Solstice said it is working with SUNY Buffalo to create a STEM co-op pipeline that could ease future visa sponsorship pressure.
Source: PR Newswire
