Digital Pen Maker Wacom Moves US Headquarters to Portland

The digital stylus company brings 200 tech jobs to Portland's Pearl District.

Digital pen manufacturer Wacom has moved their North American headquarters to the Pearl District in a long, arduous sojourn from their former headquarters in the far off land of Vancouver, Washington.

Now occupying the top 3 and ground level floors of the brand new Pearl West building, Wacom Americas celebrated the opening of their new offices with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a visit from their president and CEO Masahiko Yamada from the company's headquarters in Japan.

You may not have heard of them, but Wacom is a big deal. They are the world leader in digital pen and touch input technologies—manufacturing the styli used in products for several major international brands including HP, Lenovo and Samsung. They're quietly responsible for the digital pen and pad technologies used by illustrators, graphic designers and other creative professionals in major animation, game design and industrial design studios across the world.

Portland companies that use Wacom products include Nike, Adidas North America, Laika, Wieden + Kennedy and certain fancy people at Willamette Week.

Wacom's move across the Columbia, where their US operations had been headquartered since 1989, brings 200 jobs to Portland's burgeoning tech industry. Wacom will maintain a presence in Vancouver with its repair center, photography and video editing studios.

Alongside its North American offices, the ground floor of Pearl West will host a 3,400 square foot Experience Center, expected to open in June 2016. Part event space, part work space and part "wander in and make art" space, the Experience Center will show off Wacom's professional and consumer products and will be available for use for workshops and seminars.

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