By David N. Young
Epson America, Inc., a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information has announced it will be moving into new corporate headquarters at the Katella Office Campus located at 3131 Katella Ave. in Los Alamitos.
“It’s a very positive development,” said Los Alamitos Mayor Warren Kusumoto after the company’s announcement. However, he said the city’s staff and Lincoln Properties, the owner of the campus, deserves much of the credit.
Though the city of Long Beach lobbied heavily to retain the company in its current location, Epson announced this week that it will be moving into a two-building campus between the Los Al city hall and the 605 Freeway.
Scheduled for summer 2020, the move will accommodate Epson’s continued product and workforce growth needs as reflected in the Epson 25 strategic vision and expand its current operations to more than 150,000 square feet in a two-building, state-of-the-art campus.
In addition to open and collaborative office, conference and technology lab facilities, the new Los Alamitos campus will house a new Epson Experience Center, providing unparalleled opportunities for Epson customers and partners to interface with its technologies and business solutions, the company said in a statement.
“This is an exciting time for Epson America, and considerable thought went into making this strategic decision. Ultimately, ensuring that our employees have the world-class facilities necessary to continue to innovate, compete, and build careers was our top priority,” said Keith Kratzberg, Epson America president and CEO.
“Being part of the Long Beach business community for more than 20 years has been terrific, and on behalf of all Epson employees, I’d like to thank the Long Beach City government and our business and residential neighbors. We look forward to the next chapter in our growth with the Los Alamitos and the Orange County community with the new headquarters facility.”
In addition, Duane Brozek, a spokesman for the company, said Lincoln Properties, the owner of the structure, will completely modernize the building and convert it into a high-tech campus.
The new campus in Los Alamitos will broadly incorporate Epson’s latest business solutions, including digital signage, laser projection, enterprise workgroup, and large format printers. The new space also allows Epson opportunities to further its commitment to environmental sustainability through EV recharging stations and increased efficiency in systems throughout the buildings, as well as employee wellness through spaces dedicated to employee collaboration, rest, focus, and fitness. Epson’s existing warehouse facilities will remain in its current location in Carson, Calif.
Kusumoto said Epson asked for no major concessions from the city in making the move, adding that we are “not in a (financial) position to offer much at the moment.”
The mayor said the city council recently approved changes to legacy parking lot issues that had to be changed to accommodate the move. He said that was the only major action required.
It is somewhat ironic that Epson is building a major high-tech campus on the bones of an building that once housed a thriving yellow pages business that was made obsolete by many of the technologies that will fuel Epson’s future growth.
According to a press release, Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, watches and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 81,000 employees in 85 companies around the world and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.
Epson America, Inc., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
