Cree Lighting Announces Expansion of Racine, Wisconsin Manufacturing Facility
DURHAM, N.C., January 8, 2020 – Cree Lighting today announced it will increase component manufacturing and final assembly, currently performed externally, at its Racine, Wisconsin facility, as part of a larger expansion effort that began in 2019. Cree Lighting will invest more than $8 million in total for state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and improvements and expects to create nearly 100 manufacturing jobs once the expansion project is completed. The company currently has more than 1,000 administrative and manufacturing employees at its Racine facility and runs three shifts.
“Vertically integrating manufacturing operations is an important part of the Cree Lighting strategy,” said Craig Atwater, general manager and senior vice president, Cree Lighting. “By further investing in our industry-leading manufacturing capabilities at our Racine facility, we can better serve our customers by reducing our lead times for these manufacturing processes from weeks to a matter of days.”
The expansion has already begun and is expected to be completed over the next 12 months, with new positions to be filled by internal and external candidates. Anyone interested in exploring employment opportunities at Cree Lighting is encouraged to visit the company’s website at www.creelighting.com.
“This investment builds upon the Racine facility’s more than 30-year commitment to the community,” said Brian Kinnune, director of operations at Cree Lighting’s Racine facility. “Our diverse workforce is dedicated to producing innovative, high quality, ultra-reliable products, and with this change the growth and development opportunities that exist for current and prospective employees is extremely promising.”
Known for innovative, reliable lighting products, Cree Lighting was the first company to bring LED lighting to the masses, deliver warm white light without compromise, break high efficiency performance barriers, and first to offer a one-button sensor-integrated intelligent lighting platform. Cree Lighting earned a Racine Innovation Award from the City of Racine last year and in 2008 helped the City become the first in Wisconsin to install LED technology on their roadways.
About Cree Lighting
Cree Lighting, A company of IDEAL INDUSTRIES, is a market-leading innovator of LED lighting fixtures, lamps and commercial lighting solutions for interior, exterior, and intelligent lighting applications. Cree Lighting’s cutting-edge technology delivers proven value for municipalities, as well as for education, automotive dealership, industrial and healthcare customers. The Cree Lighting team is committed to transforming the way people experience light through innovative technology and intelligence platforms that help make buildings more efficient and businesses more profitable. Visit https://www.creelighting.com for more information.
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Media Contacts:
Jamie Palmeroni-Lavis, McDougall Communications for Cree Lighting, +1-585-434-2151, jamie@mcdougallpr.com
Christopher Knospe, McDougall Communications for Cree Lighting, +1-585-434-2154, chris@mcdougallpr.com