FLIR Systems Inc. plans to start moving into its new facility at Goleta’s Cabrillo Business Park next week — a dream five years in the making.
The company that designs, manufactures and markets thermal imaging devices bought two buildings at 6769 Hollister Ave. in 2010 in an effort to consolidate its operations, which include 450 employees spread out in four leased office buildings in Goleta, said Bill Terre, FLIR’s vice president and general manager.
And all of those leases end Dec. 31.
“The work is largely done to the point where we can begin occupancy,” Terre said of upgrades FLIR made to the buildings vacant since 2014.
“The move is going to occur over about eight weeks, so it’s pretty extensive. It’s pretty amazing that we’re really finally doing what we said we were going to do.”
Terre said FLIR was in the final stages of getting occupancy permits from the city of Goleta.
Once they do, employees can move equipment, desks and themselves into the more complete 50,000 square-foot office building, mainly for administration and research and development.
Because most of what FLIR needs to transport can’t just go in the back of a truck, Terre said special care will be taken to move semi-conductor processors and manufacturing equipment, which will go into the second 100,000 square-foot building.
Equipment will also need to be installed and re-commissioned.
At least the move isn’t far.
Most of FLIR’s operations are now in a business park on Castilian Drive, about a half-mile from the new digs on the northwest corner of the Cabrillo Business Park across the street from Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
New offices called for a slightly different layout, one that removes tall cubicle walls between offices to open up space.
Terre said the design — adopted by many technology companies over the years — would improve interaction between employees in engineering, finance, sales and administration departments.
Those concerned about privacy can use one of many “huddle” or telephone rooms to make calls or find a quiet place.
“This new space will be quite well suited to our continued growth,” Terre said.
“It really offers an overall improvement to the efficiency at which we can grow our business. We’ll all be unified on one campus. We’re excited.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.