Deal: Alcon expansion creates 550 jobs in Johns Creek

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that Alcon, an eye care manufacturing company, has created 550 jobs and invested $500 million in the Johns Creek community since 2013. This announcement comes on World Sight Day, in an effort to raise public awareness for those affected by blindness or visual impairment.

 

“On World Sight Day, we recognize Alcon’s innovation in eye care and the company’s significant economic impact here in Georgia,” said Deal. “Alcon was one of the first companies to participate in my High Demand Career Initiative, providing us with valuable insight into the needs of their future workforce. Today, we celebrate Alcon’s advancements and look forward to their continued growth in Georgia.”

 

In 2013, Alcon completed a major expansion of its Johns Creek facility to enable the manufacturing of DAILIES and DAILIES TOTAL1® contact lenses. With the expansion, Alcon added more than 70,000 square feet to the facility, invested more than $250 million and created approximately 300 jobs. In 2014, Alcon began work on a second expansion of the facility to support additional production lines for DAILIES and DAILIES TOTAL1® contact lenses. The second expansion to accommodate new production lines generated additional investments of $250 million and created an additional 250 jobs.

 

“Alcon is the global leader in eye care, and here in Johns Creek, we have more than 1,700 individuals focused on the production, R&D and distribution for our game-changing contact lens brands like DAILIES TOTAL1®,” said Alcon Atlanta Manufacturing general manager Rob Meyers. “Our site’s recent growth is a reflection of our innovation and continued growth in the contact lens industry, as well as the many benefits that operating in the state of Georgia provides. A variety of state, county and city leaders and organizations have contributed to our growth, which has played a key role in our decisions to continue to invest in our Johns Creek location.”

 

“Alcon’s global reach and cutting-edge innovation make it the leader in the eye care industry,” said Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker. “We are very happy with their decision to expand in Johns Creek and we believe that not only are they a perfect fit for our diverse city, but they also serve as a great example of what makes our business community exceptional.”

 

Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) project manager Mary Ellen McClanahan represented the state on this project and worked closely with Georgia Power, Georgia Quick Start, the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Progress Partners and the Fulton County Development Authority. GDEcD’s Workforce division also played a major role in this project.

 

“As the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business, we work extremely hard to make sure that companies looking to locate or expand in Georgia have the resources to be successful,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “We are proud that Alcon took advantage of one of our many pro-business assets, the state’s nationally ranked workforce training program – Quick Start – to ensure the quality training of their future employees, and we look forward to joint success in the future.”

 

Alcon, the global leader in eye care, provides innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people see better. Alcon’s three business divisions, surgical, pharmaceutical and vision care, offer the widest spectrum of eye care products in the world. Alcon is a division of the Novartis Group, with pro-forma sales of USD 10.8 billion in 2014. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Alcon has more than 25,000 employees worldwide, operations in 75 countries and products available in 180 markets. For more information, visit www.alcon.com.