In February of 2014, Integra Optics was featured on the Capital Region Business Beat. Reporter Jon Dougherty took a trip back to the Latham fiber optics company to see how it's grown and how it's partnered with another company to expand operations.
LATHAM, N.Y. -- It was a very cold February day when Time Warner Cable News took you inside Integra Optics in 2014. The Latham based company specializes in fiber optic components.
"We're definitely one of the parts people use everyday and they don't even realize it," Integra Optics President/CTO David Prescott said.
Prescott started the company in 2007 in a hangar off Albany International Airport, which he used to run a flight school and business. The Navy vet saw a need for better equipment to support our growing list of devices.
"All of us now are viewing more and more video on their home computer, on their IPad, on their phone and that's greatly expanding transport needs," Prescott said.
Since that story first aired, Integra Optics, a lot has changed. It's now has more than 60 employees, it's shipping more of its products around the world, and it added another company under its name; Integra LED.
"What we're doing is providing the service on what should be replaced with what and how to do that in a way that grant funding will pay for most of it. This way the customer gets the max benefits over their conversion," said Jason Zarillo, Integra LED's president.
Zarillo, a University at Albany grad, started the lighting systems design company with a group of friends and entered a partnership with Integra within the last year.
Since becoming Integra LED, it's hired seven full-time employees and expects more by the end of the year.
In less than a year its lighting systems have saved companies an estimated more than $8 million in energy costs.
"That's over 52,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases saved. That's taking about 11,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year," Zarillo said.
Like it's partner company, Integra Optics, Integra LED is beginning to take its services around the world.
"It's a unique interest to me in order to bring problem solving techniques and solutions to our existing basic customers," Prescott said.
It's their drive to solve problems that has gotten the partnership off the ground.
If you know of a business that should be featured on the Capital Region Business Beat, submit an email to Jon.Dougherty@twcnews.com and follow Jon on Twitter:@JonDTWCNews.