Foxconn will have a presence in Green Bay through a recently announced innovation center, employing as many as 200.

According to a release from the company, this move will help forge connections with potential partners for Foxconn’s supply chain in the Green Bay area.

Foxconn said Friday it has reached an agreement to purchase the WaterMark building, a 75,000-square-foot, six-floor office building located near the Fox River. The company says it will close on the property soon, and plans to open the innovation center later this year.

This comes on the heels of Foxconn’s groundbreaking ceremony for its $10 billion manufacturing campus in Mount Pleasant. Gov. Scott Walker’s office says the project has an expected $7 billion annual economic impact on the state.

Jerry Murphy, executive director of economic development group New North, says the Green Bay facility will benefit the entire 18-county northeast Wisconsin region.

“We’ve always believed that the benefits of Foxconn would reach into the New North,” Murphy said. “We’ve seen some of that through the initial awarding of contracts. Today’s announcement takes things to another level.”

Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, says the new center “will have a direct effect on startups and emerging companies as well as technologies that can be adopted by those companies.”

“To me, it’s further evidence of their intent to be a statewide company,” he told WisBusiness.com. “Certainly, they have a big footprint in southeast Wisconsin, but they’re showing every sign they want to be involved with the rest of the state.” Read the full story here.

– Foxconn to open Green Bay innovation center with 200 employees
http://biztimes.com/2018/industries/real-estate/foxconn-to-open-green-bay-innovation-center-with-200-employees/

– Foxconn to open 200-employee ‘innovation center’ in downtown Green Bay
http://bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2018/06/29/foxconn-to-open-200-employee-innovation-center-in.html

– First foundation for Foxconn manufacturing buildings coming in mid-2019
http://bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2018/06/29/first-foundation-for-foxconn-manufacturing.html

– Foxconn reaches agreement to open Green Bay office (UPDATE)
http://dailyreporter.com/2018/06/29/foxconn-reaches-agreement-to-open-green-bay-office/

– Foxconn opening innovation center in Green Bay at iconic WaterMark along Fox River
http://wpr.org/foxconn-opening-innovation-center-green-bay-iconic-watermark-along-fox-river