IMRA America Breaks Ground for Major Expansion of Its Ann Arbor Facilities and Hosts Ribbon Cutting for a New Clean Room
Ann Arbor, May 12, 2008—

IMRA America, Inc. (IMRA), a global leader in the development of ultrafast fiber laser technologies for commercial applications, today hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the addition of a fourth building that will nearly double the size of its Ann Arbor facilities. In addition, the company held a ribbon cutting ceremony on the same day for its newly expanded clean room facility.

Guest speakers at the ground breaking ceremony included: the Hon. Mr. Tamotsu Shinotsuka, Consul General of Japan at Detroit; Ms. Cynthia Wilbanks, Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Michigan; Mr. Don Whitsitt, President of Aisin World Corp of America; and Mr. Michael Finny, President and CEO of SPARK.

IMRA is expanding its research and development capacity by adding a planned fourth building. The new building will consist of two stories comprised of a first floor and a basement level. It will add approximately 22,000 sq. feet of floor space, nearly doubling the total size of the IMRA facility to more than 54,000 sq. feet.

The expansion of its facility and operations will necessitate the hiring of at least 20 more people with various technical skills and capabilities over the next two to three years

The Class 10,000 clean room is being expanded from 1,300 sq. ft. to 3,430 sq. ft. and the attached Class 100,000 gowning area will double in size from 400 sq. ft. to 800 sq. ft.

Commenting on the expansion, Takashi Omitsu, President and chief executive officer of IMRA, said, “This new expansion will give IMRA the capability of further developing applications technologies that can use its ultrafast fiber lasers, such as: energy related device technologies, environmental technologies, bio technologies and semiconductor technologies. We intend to collaborate with outside research and development institutions and commercial customers on various projects to develop specific applications in these areas.”

The company expects construction of the new building to be completed by Spring of 2009.

For more information, please contact:
IMRA America, Inc.
1044 Woodridge Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Phone: (734) 930-2560
Fax: (734) 930-9957
e-mail: lasers@imra.com