A radar technology company based in Kirkland is expanding and hiring, buoyed by a 40 million dollar investment that is helping it open a much larger footprint in the Puget Sound region. Echodyne is behind the growth, and company leaders say the move reflects how quickly demand for its technology has climbed.
At the center of the expansion is a new 86,000 square foot facility in Woodinville. The additional space is meant to keep pace with what the company describes as a growing need for more radar and drone technology, a market that has expanded sharply in recent years.
Much of that demand is tied to defense and security work. Company officials said military needs and border security are among the items that will be produced at the new buildings, pointing to the kind of applications driving orders for the firm's systems.
Echodyne's leadership team, along with Senator Maria Cantwell, were on hand for a ribbon cutting event to mark the milestone. The presence of a sitting United States senator underscored the attention the project has drawn as a regional economic bright spot.
The new state of the art facility is expected to add 200 new jobs. Cantwell described them as high quality positions in engineering, production, software and project management, and said the effort proves once again that the Northwest can lead not just the country but the world in next generation technologies.
The company's core product is its patented MESA radar technology, which has seen increased use by the military within the last decade. That track record has helped position Echodyne to take advantage of the surge in interest around detecting and tracking drones.
For the local economy, the expansion represents both new construction and a significant round of hiring at a time when radar and drone technology are drawing heavy investment. The Woodinville site adds to the region's cluster of advanced manufacturing and engineering firms, with the promise of skilled jobs anchored in the area for years to come.