TE Connectivity plans to turn a vacant former retail building in New York State into a manufacturing and research centre for optical connectivity products, with more than 860 jobs projected by state officials.
The Ireland-headquartered company expects the facility in Henrietta, near Rochester, to open in spring 2027. Production would then increase through 2031. The announcement is a plan for future investment and hiring, not confirmation that the factory is operating or that the jobs have already been created.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the project on 12 November. The state puts its total cost at more than $62 million and has offered up to $22 million in performance-based tax credits through Empire State Development, its economic development agency.
The proposed facility would occupy a 135,000-square-foot building at 1600 Marketplace Drive in Monroe County. Previously a Sam’s Club store, the property is to be repurposed for manufacturing and research and development rather than built on a new site.
Optical connections for data centres
TE Connectivity designs connectors, sensors and electronic components used across industries including energy, transport, medical technology and data centres. At Henrietta, the planned work centres on fibre array units and related optical products for large artificial intelligence data centres and cloud providers.
A fibre array unit brings several optical fibres into precise alignment with optical devices or assemblies. Such components can help connect fibres to chips and other equipment through which data is carried using light. The positioning of each fibre matters because misalignment can affect how efficiently light passes between components.
The company plans to develop and make high-density fibre array units based on technology acquired from RAM Photonics. TE had announced that acquisition by March this year. The company describes its optical work as a complement to its existing copper connectivity products.
One application is co-packaged optics, an approach that places optical interfaces closer to computing or switching chips. Shorter electrical connections can help reduce power demands and accommodate more data connections in a given space. The company presents its products as supporting that transition; the announcement does not establish a measured energy saving for the proposed Henrietta facility or its future customers.
Jobs and public support
State officials project more than 860 new jobs from the undertaking. TE’s own announcement says it plans to employ more than 800 people in engineering, manufacturing and management in the greater Rochester region. The two statements use different levels of precision; neither is a count of positions already filled.
The company’s figure for its investment is more than $60 million, while the state’s higher figure describes the total cost of the project. Both sums are estimates or commitments announced for a future development, rather than evidence that the full amount has already been spent.
The state’s proposed support comes through the Excelsior Jobs Program. Its tax credits are performance-based: participating businesses must meet and maintain established employment and investment thresholds to earn them. The $22 million is the maximum support announced for this project, not an unconditional payment or a guaranteed final total.
Monroe County and Greater Rochester Enterprise are also assisting the project. The announcement does not set out individual salary levels or a detailed recruitment timetable. The stated opening in spring 2027 and the production ramp through 2031 remain expectations and could change as the project progresses.
Building on a regional industry
The site sits within the Finger Lakes region, where optical technology has an established industrial and educational base. State officials put the number of local optics, photonics and imaging companies at more than 150, with a combined workforce of 19,000.
Nearby institutions with relevant programmes include the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College. The latter offers an associate degree in optical systems technology. Those existing education and industry links provide context for the location, although the announcement does not specify how many of TE’s future employees would be recruited from local courses.
For Henrietta, the proposal combines the reuse of a vacant commercial property with a planned shift towards specialised manufacturing. The outcome will depend on the building conversion, the company’s production plans and whether the employment and investment commitments are met over the years ahead.
