Since preparations to move its global headquarters from California began in 2021, the company has already made significant contributions to the business and technology community. VIAVI President and CEO, Oleg Khaykin, has been elected to Greater Phoenix Leadership; the company has established a scholarship at the University of Arizona’s Wyant College of Optical Sciences, and the company has also contributed to Chandler’s reclaimed water program.

To mark the completion of the new production facility and global headquarters, VIAVI held a grand opening in Chandler on November 10. The plant’s opening is a boon for the local economy, representing an initial capital infusion of nearly $100 million, with a further $50 million expected to be generated in payroll taxes for local and state governments following the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

VIAVI’s new production facility in Chandler features VIAVI’s most modern and efficient optical coating capabilities. In seeking a new facility to operate its sophisticated equipment, the company found that Arizona provides the ideal conditions for long-term, sustainable growth including a business-friendly environment, a high quality of life at a reasonable cost, and a strong base of talent. With the world-renowned Wyant College of Optical Sciences and a rich ecosystem of optics companies, Arizona has long attracted the best and brightest of the optics industry.

VIAVI is a global leader in network test, monitoring, and assurance solutions for communications service providers, enterprises, network equipment manufacturers, government, and avionics. The company is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, and defense applications. VIAVI generated $1.3 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2022 and has more than 3,600 employees in 50 locations throughout North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific/Japan/China.

“VIAVI is a global company in every sense of the word,” commented CEO Oleg Khaykin. “That means setting up in key locations around the world is critical to our success, and we’re always sure to contribute to the communities in which we operate. Establishing a major hub in Chandler, Arizona, will not only expand our involvement in the local optics ecosystem but ramp up our U.S. manufacturing capabilities considerably.”

“Advanced manufacturing is in Chandler’s DNA and we are thrilled to welcome the latest addition with VIAVI,” stated Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. “It has been a pleasure working with the VIAVI team as they have built out their new manufacturing facility and relocated their headquarters to Chandler. VIAVI and Chandler are a perfect match and we wish them many years of success in our community.”

“We’re thrilled to see optics heavyweights like VIAVI investing in Optics Valley,” said Thomas Koch, Dean and Professor, Wyant College of Optical Sciences at The University of Arizona. “We see a bright future together, and look forward to doing our part in talent generation and research innovations to grow the optics ecosystem here in Arizona.”