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Another "big deal", that was going to create "hundreds of jobs in the Rochester area", seems to have been relegated to the "back burner". The latest news, about 5-6 weeks ago, stated that former Rochesterian, with a long history in the optics field, Mike Cumbo, was hired to oversee operations, but then abruptly left. Interesting......
(FWIW, Mike was a knowledgeable guy, I worked with him back in the middle 1980s)
That's interesting information. I clicked on some of those businesses listed, and was surprised at the number of smaller businesses that were involved in the field. I guess my age is showing, as I was raised and worked in the Kodak/Xerox/General Motors era of "large employers".
That's interesting information. I clicked on some of those businesses listed, and was surprised at the number of smaller businesses that were involved in the field. I guess my age is showing, as I was raised and worked in the Kodak/Xerox/General Motors era of "large employers".
That is the difference of the Rochester economy from some others that were built around heavy industry. You can't just start your own steel mill if you get laid off. Many from Kodak, Xerox and others started their own company from home, or small office. Even General Motors products were things like carburetors, fuel rails and wiper motors, not large castings.
.....Many from Kodak, Xerox and others started their own company from home, or small office. Even General Motors products were things like carburetors, fuel rails and wiper motors, not large castings.
I agree with you, regarding Ex-Kodakers going off on their own. What many people don't realize is how diversified Kodak was, with respect to the optics industry. EK had one of the FINEST optical manufacturing facilities in the entire world. While their main "focus", pardon the pun, was Kodak's own cameras, projectors and copiers/microfilmers, they also did a lot of work for other companies (Polaroid, for example, who turned around and stabbed them in the back).
When Kodak divested itself of the optic division, after several internal downsizings, the business became Rochester Precision Optics, which bought most of EK's shop. However, a lot of EK's equipment was sold off in the years prior, and I know that a few former EKers picked up some of it, and went into business for themselves.
With respect to GM, when I graduated from HS, in 1970, I had a summer job at Delco products. While making small components like wiper and power window motors, and heat and A/C blower motors, they DID have some REALLY large pieces of fabrication equipment in their facility. Big enough that you couldn't pick up one at a surplus sale, and move it into your garage at home....unless you had a 4-5 car garage. (think 5 spindle, automatic lathe, that spun out motor shafts, out of 8 foot long steel rods)
I agree with you, regarding Ex-Kodakers going off on their own. What many people don't realize is how diversified Kodak was, with respect to the optics industry. EK had one of the FINEST optical manufacturing facilities in the entire world. While their main "focus", pardon the pun, was Kodak's own cameras, projectors and copiers/microfilmers, they also did a lot of work for other companies (Polaroid, for example, who turned around and stabbed them in the back).
When Kodak divested itself of the optic division, after several internal downsizings, the business became Rochester Precision Optics, which bought most of EK's shop. However, a lot of EK's equipment was sold off in the years prior, and I know that a few former EKers picked up some of it, and went into business for themselves.
With respect to GM, when I graduated from HS, in 1970, I had a summer job at Delco products. While making small components like wiper and power window motors, and heat and A/C blower motors, they DID have some REALLY large pieces of fabrication equipment in their facility. Big enough that you couldn't pick up one at a surplus sale, and move it into your garage at home....unless you had a 4-5 car garage. (think 5 spindle, automatic lathe, that spun out motor shafts, out of 8 foot long steel rods)
Of course there is some heavy equipment in some departments, but in general, a lot of the manufacturing around town is pretty intricate. Even Xerox, with it's large copiers, inside is some pretty detailed, technical stuff.
BTW, have you ever seen the large (wheel) on Ridge Rd at the Bernice St entrance to Eastman Business Park? I believe it was from film making.
Of course there is some heavy equipment in some departments, but in general, a lot of the manufacturing around town is pretty intricate. Even Xerox, with it's large copiers, inside is some pretty detailed, technical stuff.
BTW, have you ever seen the large (wheel) on Ridge Rd at the Bernice St entrance to Eastman Business Park? I believe it was from film making.
If I understood correctly, when photographic film was initially manufactured, it was in rolls large enough to wrap around the spool, a number of times, before being cut down to "camera sized" rolls.
Photonics does not "employ 18,000 people" there, that is a lie, in fact it makes me laugh every time I see it. It's stated, without any context or data backing it up.
Where did the $600M go? Thousands of jobs were supposed to be created, I remember laughing about that insane number when Biden was in town there for the announcement. Photonics became yet another nothingburger in a long line of nothingburgers there in Rochester.
No real jobs were created, they even blew $25M+ on the former Kodak R&D labs to overhaul them, when it was supposed to be $1M. Then the company pulled out in recent years.
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