Leonardo strategies to devote about $100 million in the new plant ensuing in a overall economic effects of $374 million above the subsequent 10 years, Sunshine Corridor reported.

“This new greater facility will help our enterprise advancement throughout all crucial industry segments,” said Matthew Keegan, president and CEO of Leonardo Electronics US Inc. “We in the end selected Innovation Park in Oro Valley because of to its proximity to our present personnel base and exceptional expertise in the area, which is 1 of the top photonics technologies hubs in the country.”

The University of Arizona’s Wyant College or university of Optical Sciences is a single of the nation’s top rated-rated courses in optics and photonics, a optics-connected area that consists of technology, sensing and processing of light-weight for electronics and other purposes.

The UA Tech Park on South Rita Road is dwelling to two photonics corporations, UA tech spinoff NP Photonics, which helps make fiber lasers and and amplifiers, and Coherent-Dilas Diode Laser.

Aside from Sun Corridor, partners in the Leonardo undertaking contain the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pima County, the Town of Oro Valley, VentureWest, Trammel Crow, SmithGroup and Sundt Design.

Outside of attracting new firms, economic advancement is about helping local firms increase, said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor.