Alcon To Invest $97 Million In Johns Creek Expansion

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- Alcon, an eye care manufacturing company, has committed to investing $97 million in Johns Creek in the next phase of a project to expand its production capacities for DAILIES TOTAL 1® contact lenses.

Gov. Nathan Deal made the announcement of Alcon's plans on Thursday, adding that its expansion reflect the state's "commitment to providing industry leaders with the best resources to compete worldwide."

"Alcon already has a significant economic footprint in the Johns Creek area and with this expansion, the company is deepening its investment in our top-ranked business climate," the governor added. "With the next phase of this project, Alcon will create even more high-tech jobs for Georgians using our cutting-edge technological capabilities as a foundation for future innovation in eye care. We are proud of Alcon’s success and appreciate the company’s commitment to creating jobs and investing in the Johns Creek community."

Alcon’s latest expansion is expected to create a number of local, high-tech manufacturing positions in the next several years. Since launching its expansion four years ago, Alcon has invested close to $600 million, created several hundred jobs and expanded the size of its facility by more than 70,000 square feet, said Shay Foley, general manager of Alcon Johns Creek Manufacturing and Technology Operations.

"This next phase of our investment reflects the increased demand for our DAILIES brand of contact lenses, as well as the strong partnerships we have built with the Johns Creek community, Fulton County and Georgia officials," Foley added.

In 2015, Deal announced that Alcon had created 550 jobs and invested $500 million in the Johns Creek community since 2013.

“The City Council and I are excited that the global leader in eye care, Alcon, has once again decided to further expand its operations in the City of Johns Creek,” said Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker. “We are especially impressed that they chose Johns Creek, Georgia, for this expansion over locations in two countries outside the U.S. Alcon’s continuous commitment to add state-of-the-art technology and related jobs to the city is a testament to the partnership we have developed over the past decade, and we appreciate everything they do to continue to be a great corporate citizen."

As a division of Novartis, Alcon offers the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people’s lives. Each year, the company's products touch the lives of more than 260 million people living with conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors, and there are millions more who are waiting for solutions to meet their eye care needs, Alcon said.

“The reinvestment in our community of an internationally recognized company like Alcon speaks to Fulton County’s pro-business climate and we know more will follow suit,” said Fulton County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Bob Ellis.

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