Haas Project a Sign of City’s Cooperation

A project to develop new manufacturing headquarters for Haas Automation in Oxnard is being touted as an example of cooperation between city and company officials.

Haas, which is moving from Chatsworth, is expected to employ more than 500 people and have a local economic impact of at least $30 million when it opens in December.

“Haas’ presence here . . . illustrates the cooperation provided by the city in showing other companies the long-term benefits of being in Oxnard,” said Steven L. Kinney, president of the Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corp.

Company officials agreed that the city smoothed the way for the relocation.

“All levels of Oxnard’s city government united in a single cooperative voice to quickly respond to Haas’ needs, not only to expedite the project but to address issues and solve problems,” said Valerie Busby-Draeger, development manager for the facility. “Without this team cooperation, this large and complicated project could not have been achieved.”

The 415,000-square-foot facility is the largest build-to-suit industrial complex to be erected in Oxnard in five years. Haas, the largest company to move to Oxnard since GTE opened its regional office there in 1994, will become the second-largest manufacturer in the city, behind Procter & Gamble.

Haas manufactures and markets precision-automated machining centers, rotary products, lathes and accessories.

Busby-Draeger said the new headquarters at 2800 Sturgis Road will anchor a 72-acre site to be known as the Haas Technology Center.

The headquarters will occupy about 20 acres, with 36 acres set aside for expansion, Busby-Draeger said.

The remaining 16 acres, which can accommodate up to 350,000 square feet of space, will be developed in a joint venture offering build-to-suit industrial facilities for the business community.

The Thousand Oaks office of Oltmans Construction Co. is general contractor for the facility.