Expanding Employers for the Community

By Dave Perry

Oro Valley’s largest employers – Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Simpleview, and Oro Valley Hospital – create several thousand jobs in the community.

Beyond those big companies, Paul Melcher, the town’s community and economic development director since January 2021, has learned there are “a lot more primary employers than we imagined” in Oro Valley.

Among them: 

Parker Meggitt 

Known locally as Securaplane, Parker Meggitt employs 130 people at its facility in the town’s aptly named center of industry, Innovation Park. Parker Meggitt is a leading supplier of airplane cameras, aircraft batteries, wireless aircraft systems, aircraft security systems, and lithium battery solutions installed in various aircraft manufactured by the world’s leading aircraft companies.

Miles Label Company 

Miles Label Company uses high-quality technology and production equipment to print everything from stickers on tomatoes to labels on health and beauty products.

Electronic Design and Development 

Oro Valley is home to Electronic Design and Development, or ED2, which is “innovating the 5G market with our repeater and unique antenna technology.”

Sigma Technologies 

PolyCharge, created by Sigma Technologies in Oro Valley, has been recognized as a Solutions Provider by the publication Semiconductor Review for its development of capacitor products for use in electric drive vehicles, renewable energy inverters, medical, aerospace, and industrial mobility                applications.

Other companies are working to create products to meet market demands.

At the University of Arizona Center for Innovation at Oro Valley, the UArizona’s bioscience incubator, start-up businesses like Reparvi, Pioneer Neurotech and Macula Vision Systems are being supported in their efforts to achieve marketable, job-creating products. In the fiscal year that begins July 1, the Town of Oro Valley has proposed to commit $30,000 toward UACI Oro Valley operations.

“We focus on economic development,” said Casey Carrillo, director of strategic partnerships for UACI, with the goal of “being able to have an impact for the Town of Oro Valley, and helping to provide guidance, innovation, and companies that want to thrive in Oro Valley.”

“Let’s grow them, let’s get the next Roche to develop here,” Melcher said.

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