New York's Governor Kathy Hochul announced that manufacturing company IMA Life North America will build a $30 million, 80,000-square-foot facility in Tonawanda to increase its production of freeze-drying equipment for the pharmaceutical industry. IMA Life's equipment is shipped all over the world and its customers include pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer and Moderna.

IMA Life North America is part of IMA Group, an Italian company that is a global leader in the field of aseptic drug processing and freeze-drying equipment, with about 6,900 employees worldwide. The company offers a wide range of technologically advanced machines, which preserve the integrity of pharmaceutical products, ensuring the maximum level of sterility and protecting both the operator and the environment.