March 27, 2019
Manufacturer will invest $1.65M as it breaks ground on 10,000 square feet addition and adds 16 new jobs
Empire State Development (ESD), New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) today announced that Empire Emergency Apparatus, a manufacturer of emergency response vehicles, has broken ground on its $1.65 million expansion of operations in the Town of Niagara. The company will add 10,000 square feet to its facility on Lockport Road, which will allow Empire Emergency Apparatus to manufacturer 300-plus vehicles per year. It currently builds approximately 150 vehicles per year.
“The expansion of Empire Emergency Apparatus in Niagara will increase manufacturing operations and create new jobs,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “The addition to the facility will double the number of emergency response vehicles made each year and ensure the continued success of the company. This investment will further strengthen the economy of the area and enhance quality of life in Niagara County and the entire Western New York region.”
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “This new facility and expansion will contribute to the life-saving efforts of the state-of-the-art vehicles that Empire Emergency Apparatus manufactures, while also reflecting the company’s long-term commitment to this region's economic growth.”
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The expansion of Empire Emergency Apparatus will not only create good jobs for those who need them most, but also increase the company’s emergency vehicle production for the benefit of all New Yorkers. Our $216,000 CDBG award for furniture, fixtures, and equipment will help this local business grow and have a positive impact on the Niagara County economy and all of Western NY.”
Empire Emergency Apparatus will retain 12 full-time, permanent employees and create 16 net new jobs with the expansion. ESD has committed up to $400,000 in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits, which are tied directly to the creation of new jobs over the next five years. HCR awarded Niagara County $216,000 in Community Development Block Grant Economic Development funds to support the project. In addition, the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency recently approved real property, sales and mortgage tax incentives to support Empire Emergency Apparatus’ growth plans.
Founded in 2006, Empire Emergency provides highly-customized emergency vehicle installations that ensure the effectiveness and safety of the men and women who protect and serve communities throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio and close to home in communities like Niagara Falls and Rochester. Empire’s emergency vehicle upfit solutions enable fire, police, and rescue teams of all sizes to perform quickly, efficiently, safely, and secure in the knowledge that their equipment is both expertly installed and inspected with meticulous attention to detail.
Empire Emergency Apparatus President Michael J. McLaughlin said, “Today’s announcement is the culmination of more than a decade of hard work and dedication on the part of my team of professionals at Empire Emergency. There is nowhere we’d rather grow our business than Niagara County and the great state of New York. That coordinated and cooperative efforts of the state, county and Town of Niagara have made it possible for our business to expand and compete on a national level. I am proud to be creating new opportunities for our skilled workforce and contribute to our region’s prosperity”
Senator Robert Ortt said, “The decision of Empire Emergency Apparatus’ owners to expand their business in the Town of Niagara is a win for Niagara County. It is encouraging to see a business commit to growing in our community when they could have easily picked up and looked elsewhere to flourish. Not only are we thankful for the incredible service that Empire Emergency Apparatus provides to our emergency responders, but we are also thankful for the new jobs they will be creating with their new investment.”
Assemblyman Angelo Morinello said, “This is an example of a public/private venture that will create well needed fulltime jobs in Niagara County. Thank you to Empire State Development, the Niagara County IDA, and New York State Homes and Community Renewal for their vision to work together to accomplish this positive result.”
Niagara County Legislator Will Collins said, "This expansion is a testament to the continued growth and success in Niagara County. The increased production of emergency vehicles will not only ensure that first responders have the resources needed to remain effective in the services they provide, but also create new jobs that are essential for a strong economy."
About Empire Emergency Apparatus
Founded in 2006, Empire Emergency ensures the safety and effectiveness of those who protect and serve our communities. Without exception, every emergency vehicle prepared by Empire receives the greatest attention to detail under the strictest quality standards. Customized by a team of skilled engineers and technicians, the safety — and the safety of passengers and equipment — is of paramount importance. Empire Emergency takes pride in providing emergency vehicles and service to communities and businesses throughout the U.S.A. Whether it’s a law officer pursuing an armed suspect, a firefighter heading to a three-alarm blaze, or a SWAT team responding to a life and death crisis, the equipment emergency responders rely on to do their job must perform at the highest level and be worthy of your trust. For more information, visit www.empireemergency.com.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NEW YORK,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.
About New York State Homes and Community Renewal
New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) works to create, preserve and improve affordable homes, and to develop vibrant communities. HCR is executing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s unprecedented $20 billion, five-year Housing Plan, which is making housing accessible and combating homelessness by building and preserving more than 100,000 units of affordable housing and 6,000 supportive apartments. The plan is a comprehensive approach to statewide housing issues, and includes investing in multifamily and single-family housing, furthering community development strategies, and preserving rent stabilization. For more information on HCR, its programs and its initiatives, please visit: www.hcr.ny.gov or follow us on Twitter @NYSHCR.