The 20,000-sf building will be located in Rochester, the firm'sbusiness operations headquarters city, and its performance willhelp company officials decide whether to further expand itsRochester operation. Genencor says it will retain all 200 of itsRochester employees and that the new health care business unitfacility will create up to 100 high-tech sector jobs.

The facility, which must meet FDA requirements, is expected tobe operational in two years. Possible future plans may include thedevelopment of commercial manufacturing and the potential for up to500 new jobs.

"We could have sited this new facility in other areas of the USor abroad, but decided that New York State would be the best placefor us to focus our future in the burgeoning human health carebusiness," says Carole Cobb, senior vice president of globalmanufacturing for Genencor.