Manufacturer breaks ground on international headquarters

LAKEWOOD RANCH — If business attracts other business, as Manatee County economic officials believe, a company’s decision to relocate its global headquarters to the East County could have far-reaching economic impacts.

IRISS, a United Kingdom-based infrared window manufacturer, broke ground on its roughly 32,000-square-foot office global headquarters Tuesday, July 10, in the Lakewood Ranch Business Park.

“This (represents) the fulfillment of (our dream),” IRISS owner Martin Robinson said. “We’d like to spend our money where we make our money. We want to support local markets and the local economy. Too many times businesses take their money somewhere else. We need to bring manufacturing back and have pride in what we do here.”

Manatee County Economic Development Corporation President Sharon Hillstrom said IRISS’ decision to create a global headquarters in Manatee County bodes well for the area and will help the EDC attract more high-skill, high-paying jobs.

“It’s significant because it’s a corporate headquarters, and it’s a global corporate headquarters,” Hillstrom said. “Once you get one of those here, it’s easier to get others to (come). When you are looking for corporate headquarters, you like to be where other headquarters are. It’s a great selling point.”

IRISS, which has facilities in the U.K., Australia and Bradenton, will be combining its U.K.-based manufacturing operation and its U.S. headquarters at the site, 10306 Technology Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Operations at its assembly facility on Lena Road will be moved to the headquarters location once it opens. The United Kingdom manufacturing location has already been converted into a distribution center, said Karen Wells, IRISS’ vice president of global operations.

“Right now, we outsource some of the components and do assembly here,” Wells said. “Now, we can start doing our own metal fabrication (and more) instead of outsourcing. It’s all part of the growth process.”

IRISS has seen growth of 69% year-over-year, prompting the decision to co-locate its manufacturing and global headquarters in Manatee County.

Wells said IRISS’ owners, Martin and Deborah Robinson, chose the Lakewood Ranch location for their global headquarters because it proved to be conducive for raising their family, and it also had great access to airports, highways and other infrastructure.

“We will be doing business with Fortune 500 companies,” Wells said. “We expect to hire at least 20 (people).

“We’re also going to have a state-of-the-art electrical safety training classroom,” she said. “We train clients that use electrical switchgear, such as beta center, food and beverage (and more). We’ve got one of the most diverse portfolios.”

Wells noted the company has a strong commitment to hiring military veterans, as well as people with challenges, because the Robinsons have a child with Down syndrome.

IRISS’ new facility is being built by The Starling Group, which will own the built-to-suit facility. Owner Fred Starling said the project will take about nine months to complete.

“This will be a very high-end facility, in terms of its design, its appearance and its energy-efficient design,” Starling said. “It’s going to fit very well within the corporate park.”

Brian Kennelly, president of LWR Commercial Realty, a division of Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, said the business park in which IRISS is locating is comprised of two- to four-acre parcels intended for light manufacturing and distribution operations. Currently, the park is home to the C&H Baseball, Cardinal Contracting, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, Kiddie Academy and Manatee Association of Realtors.

“We envision it as another employment center,” Kennelly said, noting Lakewood Ranch also has its corporate park in Sarasota, as well as a business park on Town Center Parkway and a commerce park on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard farther north.