A leading international producer of components for heavy-duty truck and trailers, Brunner International plans a $10 million investment that includes construction of a new 48,000-square foot building at its Brunner's Bates Road site in Medina, New York, and creation of adding up to 35 new jobs.

Brunner Vice President Brad MacDonald said the company has “confidence in the strength of the talent base in Western New York, so the expansion of our Medina operations is the right choice for Brunner. Local and state officials additionally reinforced that the full scope of the expansion could be more effectively achieved in Orleans County versus other parts of the country.”

“Creating jobs and growing the Upstate economy continues to be one of our administration’s top priorities. This investment strengthens the manufacturing industry in Western New York, while also securing hundreds of jobs in the region,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “We want businesses in New York to compete and thrive, and this expansion project will enable Brunner – which chose to grow in New York instead of moving out-of-state – to do just that by increasing production and utilizing more of the region’s outstanding workforce. I commend the Orleans Economic Development Agency for working alongside the State to support this company, and look forward to Brunner’s continued presence in Upstate New York.”

“We were successful in securing the Brunner International expansion in Medina due to outstanding collaboration with Empire State Development, the New York Power Authority and the Department of Environmental Conservation,” said Orleans County EDA CEO/CFO Jim Whipple. “The Town of Ridgeway and The Army Corp of Engineers have also been invaluable partners with the shared goal of working to move the permitting process forward. They understand the need to move expeditiously and made a strong commitment to accommodate Brunner's enterprising site development timeline.”

The Orleans County EDA mounted an aggressive campaign to secure the expansion project for Orleans County, despite strong interest from economic development agencies in other states, the Governor’s office said. Fast-tracking the expanded operations plan is critical for Brunner to begin building and shipping products by early 2015 to meet its contractual obligations. Ultimately, Brunner decided on expanding the Medina facility after evaluating multiple sites out of state that would also accommodate Brunner's strategic partners.

As an incentive, Brunner qualified for up to $750,000 in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits from the state in return for its proposed investment and job creation commitments. In addition, Orleans County Economic Development Agency is currently working on a local incentive package and permitting to meet the rapid expansion needs of Brunner.

Empire State Development President, CEO/Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, “A strong partnership between government and private industry is what led to the expansion of Brunner International in Medina. New York State’s record of successful manufacturing and technical innovation are two reasons why Brunner, as well as many other thriving businesses, are making the decision to expand their footprint in our state.”