Photo courtesy of Medrad The Medrad headquarters in Marshall features a three-story Great Hall.

By Anya Sostek
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette With employees peering over two levels of balconies, Medrad held a grand opening celebration yesterday for its new headquarters in Marshall.

The medical device company decided to move its headquarters from Indiana Township to accommodate its growth. In the last few years, revenue has doubled and the company has hired about 600 workers -- most of them in the Pittsburgh area. In 2006, sales grew 16 percent, to $478 million

John P. Friel, the company's president and chief executive officer, stood in the new building's Great Hall, while local students marched by holding more than a dozen flags of countries where Medrad has operations.

Locator Map: Medrad's new headquarters in Marshall Click image for larger version.

He pointed out the carpet made of recycled materials and the oak paneling that came from trees removed to build the new headquarters.

The building was designed to be certified for a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The state provided a $3.1 million investment package for Medrad's new headquarters, with the company agreeing to create 402 jobs and retain 1,050 existing jobs in return.

Medrad, owned by German conglomerate Bayer AG, is the first corporate tenant in the new Tech 21 Research Park, which eventually will include about a dozen office buildings, two restaurants and a hotel.

"We're here to celebrate more than the grand opening of a building," said Mr. Friel. "We're here to celebrate a region."

Medrad already has filled 150 of its 402 required jobs, said Dennis Yablonsky, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The company employs about 1,700 worldwide, including 1,200 in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Yablonsky heralded the new headquarters at the grand opening ceremony, saying the building represented everything the state was hoping for in an economic development project: focusing on the biosciences, expanding homegrown companies and making space available before companies need it.

"This is a poster child for everything we'd like to do more of," he said.

Anya Sostek can be reached at asostek@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1308. The state provided a $3.1 million investment package for Medrad's new headquarters, with the company agreeing to create 402 jobs and retain 1,050 existing jobs in return.

Medrad, owned by German conglomerate Bayer AG, is the first corporate tenant in the new Tech 21 Research Park, which eventually will include about a dozen office buildings, two restaurants and a hotel.

"We're here to celebrate more than the grand opening of a building," said Mr. Friel. "We're here to celebrate a region."

Medrad already has filled 150 of its 402 required jobs, said Dennis Yablonsky, secretary of the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The company employs about 1,700 worldwide, including 1,200 in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Yablonsky heralded the new headquarters at the grand opening ceremony, saying the building represented everything the state was hoping for in an economic development project: focusing on the biosciences, expanding homegrown companies and making space available before companies need it.

"This is a poster child for everything we'd like to do more of," he said.