Zeeko Ltd, an international technology company specializing in ultra-precision polishing machines, has announced its’ decision to locate a research facility at Innovation Square in Gainesville. The new location in Gainesville will join the company’s others in Japan and Wales, adding a premium position to capitalize on top-tier research at the University of Florida.
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” said Zeeko Manager of Research and director of the company’s Gainesville research facility, Arthur Graziano. A newly hired University of Florida graduate, Graziano’s ties with past mentors and advisors gives the company another advantage while connecting with the American market. “I love Gainesville. I never thought I’d be able to work here after I graduated.”
Zeeko has partnered with Innovation Square real estate company Trimark Properties to establish a state-of-the-art research facility just 3 blocks from UF campus in Innovation Square. The organization joins a host of tech companies migrating to the area to feed from the benefits of being located next to campus.
“When an internationally-successful company like Zeeko chooses to open an office in Gainesville, it really says something about how powerful a player our city has become”, said Trimark managing partner John Fleming. “Obviously Zeeko thinks that Gainesville’s pro-business environment and the proximity of Innovation Square to UF will help it grow. And Gainesville wins, because it means more jobs for our community.”
Based in the United Kingdom, Zeeko supplies over 70 polishing machines to countries all over the globe from Australia to China, and all over Europe. The company’s products are used for complex surfaces and optics, like those on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
By connecting with world renowned researchers at the University of Florida, the company plans to add value to the machines they already produce while also branching into other tech avenues.
The new research facility, located at 417 SW 8th Street, will sit between the core of Innovation Square and new housing developments being erected for young professionals and students at the University of Florida, giving the company access to talent and professional networks. The proposed Infusion Technology Center and Savion Park Luxury Apartments, also being developed by Trimark Properties, sit within a block of Zeeko’s Gainesville office. The Florida Innovation Hub, UF’s entrepreneurial incubator, is also within close walking distance.
Construction has already begun at Zeeko’s new office with the much anticipated move in scheduled for early Summer.
