JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. (JJVC) plans a major expansion to its production and laboratory facilities here with a capital investment of $301 million, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced Wed., July 22, 2015. The expansion will add 100 new jobs to the 2,000 currently employed by the contact lens supplier whose Acuvue brand made its debut in 1987.

As part of this project, JJVC plans to create five new production lines and a tank farm to support new product launches. Additionally, the company plans to establish a division-wide center of excellence for 3D printing and a center for medical device laboratory test method development and transfer for the Americas.

Governor Scott said, “I am excited to announce that Johnson & Johnson Vision Care has chosen to create 100 new jobs and expand in Florida. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care chose Florida for this expansion out of any other place in the country.” Florida is ranked second among states for FDA-registered medical device manufacturing facilities. The state is home to some of the nation’s most highly regarded research centers; more than 1,100 biotech, pharmaceutical and medical devices companies; and a foundation of more than 46,000 health care establishments.

“At Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., we are committed to our customers, our employees and our community,” said Tim Ryan, JJVC plant manager. “The expansion of our Jacksonville facility will give us additional opportunities to deliver healthy vision to everyone, everywhere, every day and continue to be a vibrant member of the community.”

This project was made possible by close partnerships between Enterprise Florida, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, CareerSource Florida, the City of Jacksonville and JAXUSA. As part of the project, CareerSource Florida has offered Johnson & Johnson Vision Care performance-based grants for employee training through the Quick Response Training program.

“We are fortunate to be the home of the world’s leading manufacturer of disposable contact lenses—Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s global headquarters,” said John Delaney, JAX chamber chair and University of North Florida president. “In the last three years, Vistakon [division of JJVC] has invested more than half a billion dollars to expand its state-of the-art campus and manufacturing facility and has added 200 jobs to the more than 3,400 people it currently employs. We look forward to the continued growth of this company and our health and life sciences industry as a whole.”