Press: California-Based Tech Company Opens East Coast Branch in Easton

Categorized:  Press   |  Tagged:  East Coast  Easton office   |  February 16, 2018

LehighValley.org
By Colin McEvoy

Hagai Feiner had long planned an East Coast office for his California-based tech company, and upon visiting Easton for the first time, he knew it was the right place.

“When I came to Easton, I was really moved,” Feiner said. “We crossed the river from New Jersey, and all of a sudden, everything changed. The buildings looked different, the energy changed, the people were nice, and it just had such a welcoming feel that I knew this was where I wanted my office to be.”

Feiner is the Founder & CEO of Access Networks, a designer of home networking systems that was described by Inc. magazine as one of fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

The company, which has offices in Los Angeles and Valencia, established its first East Coast branch at 225 Ferry St., the former home of the historic Martinez building. Feiner said the location will start with two new employees, but he expects to ultimately employ up to 12 people there.

Access Networks held a ribbon-cutting for the new 10,000 square-foot facility on Feb. 13. Formerly a dry-cleaning business until 2007, Feiner purchased the building and it underwent significant renovations and restorations.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation(LVEDC) assisted with an environmental assessment for the project through the Lehigh Valley Land Recycling Initiative, the organization’s redevelopment program, according to LVEDC Director of Redevelopment and External Affairs Andrew Kleiner.

The Access Networks facility in Easton will be used for shipping product to clients located in or near the East Coast. The Lehigh Valley’s central location and access to networks will give the company a wider national reach than it had before, Feiner said.

Access Networks also plans to eventually hire engineers to be based out of Easton, which will allow the company to extend its support times and hours. It will also host training and other events out of the new location, and provide apartment space for employees visiting from California, he said.

“Access Network’s choice to open its East Coast facility in Easton reinforces Easton’s role in the regional economy as a place where firms can put down roots and take advantage of a vibrant, walkable and historic downtown,” said Jared Mast, Executive Director of the Greater Easton Development Partnership.

“And that when a firm gets an adaptive reuse project right like Access Networks did, it can set a firm apart from a talent acquisition and business development standpoint,” Mast said. “Access Networks now has one of the most attractive offices spaces in the entire region, and we’re proud for them to be calling Easton home.”

Access Networks brought in $9.3 million in revenue in 2014 and the premier enterprise-grade networking solutions provider for the modern home, designing and maintaining sophisticated network solutions based on the simple premise of keeping its customers connected.

The company currently employs 30 people, Feiner said. It brought in $9.3 million in revenue in 2014, according to Inc. magazine, which included Access Networks in its list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country in 2017.

Feiner first became familiar with Easton because his wife was born and raised there, he said, and members of her family still live there. He particularly praised the support he has received from Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and the city codes departments, as well as the Easton Ambassadors program.

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