Symantec plant to double in size.

Byline: Sherri Buri McDonald The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Security software maker Symantec Corp. on Wednesday bought 14.7 acres next to its facility here and plans to build a 200,000-square-foot addition that could double its local work force, company officials said Thursday.

The expansion will double the size of Symantec's Gateway campus and create capacity for a total of 2,000 employees. The company's existing 198,000-square-foot customer service center houses 900 employees.

Symantec hopes to break ground on the addition in August and complete it by next July, company officials said.

The addition basically will mirror the existing facility, which was built three years ago at a cost of $37.3 million.

Symantec's announcement is one of the area's biggest economic development boosts since Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines revealed last year that it would build a call center in Springfield's Gateway district. That facility plans to open with about 240 employees in December and grow to 1,000 employees by 2009.

"We're on a roll," said Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken, jokingly adding that he hopes folks aren't expecting announcements like this every six months.

"It's great for the area, great for employment and great for the company," he said.

"It's great to know that (Symantec) likes it here and wants to expand," said Jack Roberts, executive director of the Lane Metro Partnership. "Those are good jobs, and Symantec is a great corporate citizen."

Symantec's Springfield campus already is the company's largest worldwide, company officials said. Adding the capacity for an additional 1,000 employees further underscores the site's importance.

"I'd say this expansion makes a strong statement as far as our commitment to the community, to our customers and our employees," said Don Oldenburg, senior director of global customer support.

Symantec's business is growing at a healthy clip, driven by corporate and individual concerns about computer security, company officials said. Symantec reported profits of $536 million on sales of $2.6 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March.

With 900 employees, Symantec is approaching the 1,000-person capacity of its existing Springfield center.

The company also is heading into another major growth spurt. It is entering the final stretch of its proposed $13.5 billion merger with Veritas Software Corp., a California-based developer of computer storage software.

Stockholders of both companies must approve the merger. Stockholder meetings for both companies are scheduled for June 24. If approved, the combined company would use the Symantec name.

The decision to expand the Springfield center is independent of any growth that might accompany the merger, Oldenburg said.

"It's based on our current growth within Symantec and the functions that are here," he said.

The Springfield center has a range of functions, including customer service and technical support for large companies and other big organizations, purchasing, information technology and order services.

New employees would be added incrementally in response to demand, Oldenburg said. They would be new hires and not employees relocated from other sites, he said.

After the merger closes, Symantec will continue to look for opportunities to consolidate corporate functions, Oldenburg said.

"But at this time, there are no plans to move those functions to Springfield," he said.

Symantec plans to apply for enterprise zone tax breaks and is exploring other available incentives, company spokesman Phil Weiler said.

By expanding in Springfield's enterprise zone, Symantec could save about $600,000 a year in property taxes for three years. The company also could apply for a two-year extension of benefits.

Symantec bought the 14.7-acre parcel immediately west of its existing Springfield facility from Sony Music Entertainment Inc. for $3.77 million, according to property records.

The parcel will need to be annexed into the city of Springfield before building permits can be issued and construction can begin. The city council will consider Symantec's annexation request on Monday. It then will be forwarded to the Lane County Local Government Boundary Commission.