Local fiber optics company viaPhoton has opened a new factory in Aurora, Illinois, where it plans to supply high speed broadband for rural Illinois and create new manufacturing jobs.
The company and state officials announced the opening of the new facility Monday, revealing that the 25,000-square-foot factory is building and supplying fiber optic solutions for data centers and 5G infrastructure across Illinois. The project aims to expand access to high-speed broadband for residents across the state and create jobs in fiber optic materials.
viaPhoton chose Aurora for the new factory because of its proximity to talent in Illinois, which is one of the nation’s fastest growing data center markets, said viaPhoton CEO Baber Abbas. The company is investing $5 million into the new factory and aims to hire 30 people initially. Over the next three to five years, viaPhoton says it will invest $50 million and hire up to 200 more employees.
Currently 18 people work at viaPhoton, 12 of which are at the factory, Abbas said. viaPhoton has raised more than $5 million in outside funding.
“Manufacturing has been a cornerstone of the Illinois economy for generations, providing high-quality job opportunities for residents across the state,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker in a statement. “I am pleased to welcome viaPhoton to their new home in Aurora and to continue building on the state's strong legacy of utilizing technology to expand access to needed services while prioritizing community investment and job creation.”
Working with local workforce partners, viaPhoton is developing new apprenticeship training programs in engineering, customer service and sales, and machine operations. viaPhoton initially plans to bring eight to 12 apprentices onboard to receive on-the-job training, making them eligible to earn higher wages as they learn new skills.
"We are thrilled to partner with the State of Illinois to advance our shared goals of expanding digital infrastructure, preparing our local workforce for the jobs of the future, while putting Illinois back on the manufacturing map," Abbas said in a prepared statement.
viaPhoton's new facility follows several recent announcements of tech companies expanding their footprints in Illinois. Stack Infrastructure invested in a data center in Elk Grove Village in June. Facebook announced it is bringing a new data center to DeKalb last month. And two new Amazon fulfillment centers being built in the south suburbs are expected to create 2,000 new jobs for Illinois.
