Pure-play LED company, Evolucia Inc. is expanding its Sarasota, Florida, operations center with a move to a 61,000 square foot facility located at 7040 Professional Parkway East at the former Gemisis property. The new facility will serve as the company's world headquarters and Center of Excellence for the research, development and manufacture of high-performance LED lighting controls and fixtures.

In addition to corporate business functions, the facility will consolidate Evolucia's light emitting diodes research, development and testing operations into one domestic facility. The company will maintain its off-shore international mass-production capabilities through its partnership with Leader Electronics, and continues to develop contract manufacturing relationships in Radom, Poland for distribution of the company's products into the European markets.

Evolucia said it acquired the latest manufacturing and optical testing equipment for installation at the new facility during the 3rd quarter of this year. This equipment will allow the firm to perform photometric, thermal, optical and other pertinent product and component analysis internally rather than contracting this work to external organizations, which will significantly reduce the costs and time associated with product development activities. In addition, company engineers project that the new manufacturing facilities will allow Evolucia to increase its internal manufacturing capacities to more than 300,000 units per year over the next 24 months.

During the 4th quarter of 2013, Evolucia will open its state-of-the-art 20,000 square foot customer demonstration and education center. Evolucia CEO, Mel Interiano, stated, "We are steering our company towards success by imagining the future of LED lighting and creating that future here in the U.S. Our new corporate headquarters provide us with not only the facilities required for growth, but with both the creative environment and the tools necessary to maintain our lead in the development of next generation lighting solutions. Our new world headquarters stand as a concrete symbol of the steps we have taken in the complete strategic refocusing of our company."

Evolucia recently completed Asian, European and Australian partnership agreements, and finalized a joint marketing agreement with a global lighting brand in Mexico. In addition, the company also signed a letter of intent to acquire Coral Springs, Florida-based Affineon Lighting, which the firm said will strengthening its product portfolio to include offering LED interior and exterior lamp, fixture and controls.

"Sarasota will become a bright light in the emerging LED space by serving as home to a company dedicated to creating American jobs that serve a fast-growing, global, high tech, clean and 'green' market," Interiano added. "I expect to add another 100 employees over the next few years, and I need a friendly and complementary relationship with our city as we bring those high-paying jobs to the community. My goal for Sarasota is to see more of our LED solutions lighting the roadways, offices and commercial spaces here in our home city."