Devon Sutton is the director of strategic operations for LC Drives at Clarkson University in Potsdam.

The near decade old company creates the technology for smaller versions of large motors focusing on renewable energy, including wind turbine operations.

“If you can reduce the weight up the tower by half, you can make wind viable and profitable for companies.  Then you expand the presence of wind energy and green technology,” Sutton said.

What You Need To Know

  • LC Drives is a company in Potsdam that creates the technology for smaller versions of large motors

  • The company has grown so fast, it’s incubator home on Clarkson University can no longer fit it's needs

  • The company is seeking a partnership with New York State to help build a facility that fits it's needs and keeps LC Drives in Potsdam

Born as a member of an incubator at Clarkson, LC Drives completed a round of significant funding in 2019, when it had roughly 20 employees. In just the short time since, it has grown leaps and bounds. It was up to 63 employees at the beginning of the pandemic and now it has 125 today.  

It’s growing so rapidly, its facilities at Clarkson are no longer big enough to handle it.  

Sutton says, while Clarkson has been a fantastic partner, it’s time for LC Drives to find a new home.

“The ability to add additional lines opens up new markets to us and that is going to be critical in meeting the demand that is already in place,” Sutton said.

These blueprints are for a 150,000 square foot facility which Sutton says — in a perfect world — would be built nearby on Route 56, right here in Potsdam.

The company had been talking with the state about roughly $50 million in funding needed to build the facility and create another 375 jobs. However, the pandemic hit and the talks died down.  

With vaccines in full swing, LC Drives is now renewing that call to get together and keep the company right where it wants to be.

“The North Country has immense talent here. We have resources and we have talent.  As we have been employing people here in the North Country, we are finding the very best that we can have and we are looking to do more of that,” Sutton said about the potential the company has.

St. Lawrence County and the town of Potsdam have approved LC Drives’ plans for the new facility.

Again, it just now awaits the state — and it's willingness to come to the table and renew it's interest in keeping the company in New York State. LC Drives says it is possible it would consider moving out of New York State if the state isn’t willing to be the partner it needs to build the new facility.