New Office Space to Include 1,800 Square Feet in Research Park;
Direct Access to Future Workforce Being Educated at Iowa State University
AMES, Iowa - (Sept. 21, 2011) - Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP), a leading research, science and technology hub for both startups and established brands, announced that Vermeer, one of the world’s largest multi-industry equipment manufacturers, has entered into a lease agreement for 1,800 square feet of office space. The strategic move to open an office at ISURP is a result of the company identifying several key assets the new location will offer, including recruitment of Iowa State University students and access to a talented pool of interns; research space to accommodate additional projects and engineers; improved collaboration on grants and research funding; and a new supplementary location for employees based in the Des Moines/Ames metro.
The new Vermeer office will open within the next month and is expected to house 14 employees. While research and development will be at the core of the work projects being facilitated at the new location, the office will also cater to Iowa State University students who are specifically aiming for a career in industrial manufacturing/engineering.
“Our new office addition at the Iowa State University Research Park is a perfect intersection where we will not only engage our future workforce but also have an onsite engineering team that will work on specialized projects and research,” said Mary Andringa, CEO of Vermeer. “At Vermeer, we are constantly adapting our business to meet the ever changing needs of our global base of customers and employees. The ISU Research Park will provide us the means to pursue several strategic business goals in a unique location.”
ISURP is a 230-acre development with 60 tenants that represent fields ranging from biotechnology to health and wellness. Its ability to foster an environment of collaboration amongst its tenant base, including its pool of resources with Iowa State University, the local business community, state economic departments and federal agencies, allow ISURP’s tenants a world-class business arena to sustain and grow their operations.
“We’ve been working closely with Vermeer over the past several months to find a suitable location that would help them achieve a number of business objectives,” said Steve Carter, Director of the Iowa State University Research Park. “The addition of Vermeer follows on the heels of what is turning out to be a stellar year for the Research Park community. Everything from Webfilings exponential growth, to Hipra’s decision to make us home to their North American headquarters, is validation that the Research Park can truly provide for the sustainability and growth of its global tenant base through connection with the resources of Iowa State University, the community of Ames and the state of Iowa.”
About ISU Research Park
Founded 25 years ago as a not-for-profit corporation designed to help sustain and grow businesses in multiple market spaces, With a tenant base of more than 60 organizations spanning the entire globe, ISURP sits on 230 acres with both private and leased offices that includes everything from wet labs to general office space. To learn more about ISURP, please visit www.isupark.org.
