AtriCure, which makes medical devices used in heart surgery, starts construction this month on the new 85,000-square-foot office, manufacturing and research building on Innovation Way in Mason. By the time it opens in late 2015 or early 2016, approximately 200 “well-paid” employees will move to the building from AtriCure’s current offices in West Chester Twp.
They include advanced manufacturing workers, engineers, marketers and other administrative employees.
In Mason, AtriCure will join high-tech neighbors such as Luxottica Group, L-3 Cincinnati Electronics, Lindner Center of HOPE and Seapine Software.
Mason city officials are planning for more development of retail, hotels and other amenities to provide services to companies in the Western Row Road, Innovation Way and Interstate 71 area where AtriCure is building, which is being referred to as the OakPark District.
“Not only do we like to attract innovative companies in the City of Mason, but we also like to be a part of that ecosystem particularly in biohealth,” said Michele Blair, economic development director of Mason. “That’s a really strong focus of ours.”
The move from Butler to Warren County to state-of-the-art facilities is key to AtriCure’s next stage of growth. Founded in 1994 as a small technology startup, the bioscience manufacturer has grown to a $100 million revenue business. It makes surgical ablation devices with indication from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, a heart disease that affects an estimated more than 5 million people globally, said Chief Executive Officer Mike Carrel.
“This new facility is necessary for us to meet the demand,” Carrel told this newspaper in a one-on-one interview prior to a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the 10.5-acre construction site.
Since Carrel joined the company in 2012, AtriCure has grown from $70 million in revenues. Sales are projected to exceed $100 million for 2014. Employment has grown during the last two years from about 225 workers to more than 300 worldwide including satellite offices in Amsterdam, California and Minnesota. All but about 25 workers are based in the U.S., according to AtriCure spokesman Troy May.
“We want to attract the best and we’re creating an environment that will attract the best people,” Carrel said.
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