Specialty materials company Solstice Advanced Materials is investing $49 million to upgrade research and development capabilities at its Buffalo, New York campus, with a focus on next-generation refrigerants, thermal management and advanced energy storage materials.
The project will expand the site's capacity for refrigerant and thermal management research, add enhanced toxicological testing facilities and construct a new laboratory for advanced energy storage materials. New York State's Empire State Development agency is supporting the investment with up to $1.4 million in performance-based tax credits through the Excelsior Jobs Program.
The Buffalo facility, which has operated since 1955, employs approximately 180 scientists, engineers and support staff. Research conducted at the site has produced more than 3,700 patents globally, including work on multiple generations of widely adopted refrigerant technologies. Solstice has committed to creating 12 new full-time positions at the facility by June 2027.
David Sewell, president and chief executive of Solstice, said: "Innovation is one of the core reasons customers choose Solstice, and these investments will strengthen our ability to develop and commercialise the next generation of advanced materials. Buffalo has played an important role in our innovation efforts for decades, and these projects will expand the site's capabilities in areas aligned with long-term growth trends."
Tom Isberg, vice president of R&D at the company, said the investment would "accelerate the innovation our customers and critical industries depend on while creating new opportunities for growth in Buffalo."
