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Old Mesa Motorola Plant Site Will House Medtech Manufacturing Center

Dexcom
Glucose monitoring product.

San-Diego based Dexcom, which develops, makes and distributes glucose monitoring products, will open a manufacturing facility near Broadway and Dobson Roads.

Mesa Mayor John Giles says Dexcom will spend about $100 million on construction at the building to develop utilities and meet FDA standards.  

“So, this is not the type of facility that you create and leave anytime soon,” he said.

Giles says the city is offering to pay Dexcom $750 for each Mesa resident the company hires, up to 300 residents at a cost of $225,000.

In all, Giles says 500 news jobs are expected.

“These are jobs that are going to be kind of a working class job that’s gonna provide a long term sustainable income for families, particularly in a part of Mesa that’s been in decline for a few years,” Giles said.  

Jobs aren’t the only positive impact the mayor sees.

“Between the benefits the city of Mesa’s gonna receive because of construction and the utilities and the sales taxes associated with the activity, this is a great shot in the arm for the city government’s bottom line,” he said.

Giles said it’ll probably be a year or longer before Dexcom opens the plant and starts hiring. 

Dexcom President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Sayer told KJZZ they are thrilled to locate in the Valley, where the healthcare industry is seeing accelerated growth.

“We chose Mesa due to the available, talented workforce, in addition to the proximity to our headquarters in San Diego and our key suppliers,” he said in an email. “Given our company’s growth, and the growing demand for CGM technology, we felt that a significant expansion of our manufacturing capability in this location was a good strategic fit.”

Editor's note: This story was updated with a comment from Dexcom.

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As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.