A local electronics refurbishing company that is moving to Bolton will take about 200 jobs from Ashland and Southborough, but keep them within the larger region, the company said Thursday.
“It was important to us not to move too far from our current location,” said Scott Davis, chief operating officer of Paragon Communications.
The company, which remanufactures smartphones, tablet computers and other electronics, this week announced the move to the 72-acre Bolton facility, which has 300,000 square feet of offices and a gym, cafeteria, walking trails and maybe solar panels.
Davis said the business is thriving and would like a single campus. The company is also working on getting a tax break from Bolton, Davis said.
The Ashland location, at 101 Union St., employed about 150 people and the Southborough location at 153 Northboro Road had about 25. Davis said the company expects to add about 30 new jobs in Bolton.
“We’ve really enjoyed our time in Ashland,” Davis said. “It was significant contributor to our growth.”
One reason they chose Bolton is its proximity to I-495, he said. Paragon gets electronics from around the world to refurbish.
“It takes a significant amount of time to get into the town from the major arteries,” Davis said of Ashland.
Local officials have heard those words before.
“There’s always been that issue about ‘we’re in a bad location’ and I never understood it,” said Ashland Planning Board Chairman David Foster.
The town is working to attract businesses by simplifying zoning, and has a plan that should be ready for spring Town Meeting, Foster said.
Southborough Town Planner Eric Denoncourt said the town welcomes businesses, especially ones that bring high-paying jobs. But he said it’s important to think regionally.
“Regionally, the fact that these jobs are staying on I-495, within this region, means that it’s a good thing,” Denoncourt said.
Eighty percent of properties in Southborough are residential and 20 percent are commercial.
Davis, who works in the company’s Dallas office, said his business doesn’t want to lose employees because of the move, and considered where they live in chosing a new office.
“Given the proximity to I-495, it provides an opportunity for our employees to have an easy commute to the Bolton facility,” he said.
Davis said no one will be laid off and the move should be complete in January.
(Laura Krantz may be reached at 508-626-4429 or lkrantz@wickedlocal.com.)
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