Companies You Didn’t Know Were Founded or Headquartered in WNY

Wow! Who knew Western New York was such a mecca of innovation?! Check out these companies that have both regional and worldwide cred that started right here in WNY! Did you know about all of these? What are we missing?

Bausch + Lomb

Founded in Rochester, NY, in 1853, it's one of the largest suppliers of eye health products, such as contact lenses, lens care products, medicines and implants.The company employs over 13,000.

Computer Task Group, Incorporated

Founded in 1966 in Buffalo, the company provides information technology staffing and solutions.

Cutco Corporation, formerly Alcas Corporation (The parent company of CUTCO Cutlery Corp.)

Headquartered in Olean, NY, and founded in 1949, the company is a brand of cutlery and kitchen accessories marketed to costumers through in-home demonstrations..

First Niagara Bank

The regional banking corporation is headquartered in Buffalo and was founded in Lockport in 1870. Its parent company is First Niagara Financial Group, Inc.

Fisher-Price

The toy company is headquartered in East Aurora, NY, and was founded in 1930. In 1993, the company became a subsidiary of Mattel.

Eastman Kodak Company, aka Kodak

The imaging product based company is headquartered in Rochester, NY, and was incorporated in New Jersey. It was founded in 1888.

M&T Bank Corporation

The bank holding company was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Buffalo, employing over 15,000.

Merchants Insurance Group

The regional property and casualty insurance company is headquartered in Buffalo and was founded in the city in 1918. The company services the Northeast and North Central U.S.

Moog, Inc.

Headquartered in East Aurora and founded in 1951, the designer and manufacturer of motion and fluid controls and systems for aerospace, defense, industrial and medical device markets services worldwide.The company has sales, engineering, and manufacturing facilities in 26 countries.

New Era Cap Company

The Buffalo-based headware manufacturer was founded in 1920 and is the provider and marketer of the official on-field cap worn by every Major League Baseball team and their minor affiliate as well as a provider of licensed entities for the NHL, NBA, NRL, Big Bash League, Little League as well as hundreds of colleges and universities.

Rich Products Corporation

The multinational food products corporation was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Buffalo.

Tops Friendly Markets

Based in Williamsville, NY, the supermarket chain has stores throughout the state as well as in Vermont and Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1962, and has over 150 locations.

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.

The regional supermarket chain is headquartered in Gates and has 85 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and Virginia. It was founded in 1916,

Xerox Corporation

The document management company was founded in Rochester in 1906 and is now headquartered in Connecticut, though a large portion of employees is based near Rochester.