Milwaukee, Wis.—Global water technology company A. O. Smith
Corporation today announced plans to build a new corporate research center near
its World Headquarters on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
The 42,700
square foot facility will house its Corporate Technology Center which focuses
on advanced research and development in the areas of potable and hydronic water
heating, water treatment, and air purification. The company plans to break
ground for the project in September with an anticipated completion during the
fourth quarter of 2018. The new building
will be located at 11000 West Park Place.
“Research
and innovation have been fundamental to A. O. Smith’s success for 143 years,”
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ajita G. Rajendra said in making the
announcement. “Over the last several
years, we have increased the size of our CTC team by 40 percent as we’ve
entered the global water treatment and air purification markets. This new facility will give our team the
capabilities to maintain our leadership position in these rapidly growing
industries.”
“We expect
this to be a showcase research center,” Rajendra continued. “We will bring customers, suppliers,
government officials, and community groups through this facility to share the
latest developments in water heating and water treatment.”
“A.O. Smith has been a longstanding,
prominent Milwaukee manufacturer and corporate citizen, and I think it speaks
to the company’s confidence in the City of Milwaukee that they want their
primary center for innovation and technology to remain in the city,” Milwaukee Alderman
Jim Bohl said.
“With A. O. Smith looking to the
future to continue its leadership in advanced water and air treatment
technologies, it can only help Milwaukee and the region to have this new center
and the synergy it can bring to strengthen our position as a high tech city and
global center of water technology excellence,” Bohl said.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett added: “Today’s
announcement is very positive news and an affirmation that Milwaukee is a great
place for business growth and innovation. A. O. Smith is an honored
company in our industrial history and a valued part of our corporate future.”
A. O. Smith
has maintained a corporate research team since the 1920s and has occupied its
current research facility on the city’s northwest side since 1984. The existing facility no longer fits the
needs of the company, according to Senior Vice President-Chief Technology
Officer Robert J. Heideman.
“When we
moved to our current facility, A. O. Smith was made up of six operating units
that were in a variety of industries,” Heideman observed. “Not only is the company significantly
different today than it was more than 30 years ago, the technologies are
substantially different as well. The
team is excited to have a new space to carry out our mission.”
The new
research center will include water heating and boiler performance test labs,
water treatment labs, an air test lab, as well as a number of specialized
development labs.
In addition,
the new research center will have a prototype lab that can build product
prototypes, test fixtures and other equipment.
A. O. Smith
is working with Milwaukee-based Irgens Partners, LLC as the developer of the
project. Zimmerman Architectural Studios
is the architect of the new research center. CBRE represented A. O. Smith in
lease negotiations.