After a six-month, extensive site selection process, global design, engineering and manufacturing leader Benchmark Electronics today announced its new corporate headquarters will be located at Rio 2100, a new 52-acre, Class A office park situated in the heart of Tempe.
The company announced relocation plans to Arizona from Angleton, Texas in April of this year and expects to add approximately 500 new jobs to the Greater Phoenix area over the next five years.
Groundbreaking for the new site is expected to begin before the end of the year with an expected completion date in early 2019. In the interim, Benchmark’s headquarters is at 4141 N. Scottsdale Rd. The current and new headquarters will house the corporate leadership team and key corporate functions in finance, human resources, legal, marketing, operations and supply chain. Benchmark’s Internet of Things (IoT) and RF and High-Speed Design Centers of Innovation will also transition to the new location.
“This is an exciting time for our company as we look forward to our new headquarters, which will allow us to grow in a single, cohesive location,” said Paul J. Tufano, president and CEO of Benchmark Electronics. “Rio 2100 is an ideal location to drive organizational alignment and attract and develop top-notch talent, as already evidenced in our strategic partnership with Arizona State University.”
“ASU’s partnership with Benchmark is an example of universities and corporations working together to foster an innovative ecosystem that benefits students, businesses and communities,” said Sethuraman Panchanathan, executive vice president of Knowledge Enterprise Development and chief research and innovation officer at ASU. “We are looking forward to joining forces with Benchmark and offering multidisciplinary problem-solving teams of faculty and students, developing innovative and impactful solutions, and creating new high technology jobs in Greater Phoenix.”
Benchmark’s 23 locations span eight countries across the globe. The new corporate headquarters near Sky Harbor International Airport gives the company quick access to customers worldwide.
“Tempe is known as a destination for tech companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon, GoDaddy and now Benchmark,” Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell said. “We appreciate Benchmark’s investment in Tempe and the jobs they are bringing to our community.”
Located at the southwest intersection of the Loop 101 and 202 freeways, Rio 2100 is a premier business park development by The Boyer Companies and Tellurian Development Company. At build-out, Rio 2100 will include office, retail, restaurant and multifamily space, as well as two hotels, within Tempe’s Rio Salado corridor.
Managing Director Andrew Medley, from the Phoenix office of JLL, represented Benchmark and assisted with the site selection process and lease negotiations. CBRE Senior Vice President Bryan Taute represented Boyer. JLL’s Project Development Services team will manage all tenant improvements.
“Benchmark is a tremendously forward-thinking company,” said Medley. “They had a vision for their new corporate headquarters and this development will more than fulfill those expectations with an exceptionally centralized location and a collaborative work environment designed to attract and retain the industry’s top talent.”
“We could not be more excited to partner with Benchmark Electronics on this new building,” added Adrian Evarkiou from The Boyer Company. “Benchmark is a truly elite firm, and the Tempe submarket and Rio 2100 are premier places for them to conduct and grow their business.”
