Area Development
Ulthera, Inc., a medical device company pioneering aesthetic and medical applications using therapeutic ultrasound platform technology, will invest $1.68 million to expand its operation in Mesa, Arizona and create more than 100 high-paying jobs.

The state's perceived pro-business environment, which provides businesses with funding and job training incentives, kept Ulthera from relocating outside the state, a Phoenix Economic Council spokesman said. Officials see Ulthera's decision as a first step in attracting other technology companies, offering high-paying jobs to the area.

The firm plans to lease a 35,000 square foot facility to serve as its new global headquarters and begin manufacturing components of its patented technology by 2014. The move into the new facility, which will open mid-2012, will allow Ulthera to continue to develop more products.

"Our dynamic growth over the past two years has positioned us to further develop our operational capabilities. We anticipate that adding a manufacturing arm not only will help us to expand our core capabilities at a rapid pace, but it also will benefit our bottom line," said Matt Likens, president and CEO of Ulthera.

"The decision to have a Mesa-based manufacturing facility was not one we took lightly, but the collaborative effort and hard work of the Arizona Commerce Authority, the City of Mesa, and Greater Phoenix Economic Council, made keeping our operations in Arizona attractive for our company and beneficial for the community," he explained.

As a result of the expansion, Ulthera will receive funding from the Arizona Competes Fund and will potentially qualify for reimbursement from the state's Job Training Program under the Arizona Competitiveness Package, he added.

"Ulthera is a welcome addition to Greater Phoenix's growing health care cluster," said Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. "Supporting Cresa Partners through the due diligence process certainly opened our eyes to the number of location options technology companies have today. The City of Mesa is creating an innovative market conducive for growing companies like Ulthera."

"Helping businesses already established in Arizona remain here, and grow their operations, is a cornerstone of the ACA's strategy," said Don Cardon, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. "We know Ulthera was looking at other states and even other countries, but ultimately, Arizona's pro-business environment and ability to deliver on its promises convinced this great company to stay in Mesa."