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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

NetApp To Nearly Double Its Wichita, Kansas Workforce, Adding 400 Jobs

08/24/2012
NetApp, a provider of storage and data management solutions, plans to "significantly expand" its Wichita, Kansas facility, nearly doubling its workforce in the next five years by adding more than 400 jobs.

In its first year NetApp expects to hire about 115 new employees, primarily in the areas of product development and customer support. According to the Kansas Department of Commerce, the annual average wage of the new jobs will be approximately $73,000. NetApp also plans to invest more than $85 million in new machinery, equipment and renovation to accommodate the expanded workforce.

"NetApp is ranked as one of the best companies in the world to work for, and I'm excited that the company will be strengthening its presence in Wichita with a significant expansion of operations and workforce," said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback. "We are working hard to provide the best business environment in the nation for companies to expand in or relocate to our great state."

The facility in Wichita, on North Rock Road, became part of NetApp's global operations as a result of the company's purchase of the Engenio external storage systems from LSI Corporation in May, 2011. "NetApp's presence in Wichita to date has been highly successful and strategic to the company's growth, and we look forward to expanding our operations in the area," said Joel Reich, vice president of NetApps Array Products Group.

"NetApp has been widely recognized as a best place to work and a major reason for that is due to the high quality of employees that we are able to attract and retain. Expanding in Wichita will enable NetApp to continue to attract the best people and serve as a key component in helping to fuel our customers' business success," he added.

Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition said it is working closely with Sedgwick County and the city of Wichita, as well as the Kansas Department of Commerce on a package of incentives to secure the capital investment and jobs for Wichita and Kansas.

The Wichita City Council and Board of County Commissioners will be voting on the incentive package in coming weeks that includes job creation performance funds. Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer said, "These are the high-tech jobs that communities throughout the world are competing for, and we are glad that we could compete and win. NetApp is a good corporate partner and this is great news for Wichita."

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