Starfire Industries, LLC recently announced an expansion to establish a new manufacturing facility in Champaign, Ill. The $9.4 million project includes a 194,000-square-foot facility to increase manufacturing and research & development capabilities. The expansion is scheduled for completion in 2023.
Officials expect the project to create at least 22 full time-jobs and retain 20 full-time jobs, as well as support 12 engineering co-op and part-time professional jobs, reports WCIA.com.
“Technology investments over the past 12 years in compact particle accelerators and high-power plasma sources have resulted in game-changing innovations”, said Starfire President/CEO Brian Jurczyk. “Our team is making significant impacts across the semiconductor, nuclear, aerospace, medical, environmental, energy, mining, automotive and security industries. Starfire reached the point where it needed to scale; finding the right location for expansion was critical. The former Patterson building is a unique space with a combination of office, engineering, manufacturing and distribution that will support Starfire’s growth for years to come. We are excited to make this place our home and stay within the robust Champaign-Urbana deep technology ecosystem.”
Starfire Industries specializes in portable high-energy particle accelerators for diagnostic imaging, environmental sensing, active interrogation and oncology therapeutic treatments. Starfire’s patented Centurion® system is being used for the rapid detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater and soil samples and quantification at the ppt level to meet stringent EPA and EU standards, WCIA.com reports.
“The new facility will give us the space for a pilot in-line production system to process the long and difficult to handle nuclear fuel cladding”, says Starfire VP/CTO Robert Stubbers. “The combination of engineering, processing, QA/QC testing and distribution space is advantageous.”
“Starfire Industries is truly a homegrown success story, and one we’re proud to celebrate,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, executive director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “This story is a testament to what is possible in Champaign County and the state of Illinois. Under Brian’s leadership, the company has grown from a startup to a large-scale manufacturing facility. We are grateful for their continued investment in our community and we look forward to supporting their growth.”
Since graduating from the EnterpriseWorks startup incubator at the University of Illinois Research Park in 2009, Starfire Industries has grown from concept research and development to manufacturing plasma sources, neutron generators and high-voltage power supplies for a range of industries. They will soon move from their existing Champaign location, a 14,000 square foot facility in University of Illinois Research Park, to an impressive 194,000 square foot technology center.