One of Maui’s premier high technology companies, Trex Enterprises (Trex), is undergoing a major expansion on Maui.  Trex recently completed arrangements with local entrepreneur Troy Tanga to lease his new 14,000 square foot building being built at 427 Ala Makani in Kahului near the intersection of Hana Highway and Dairy Road.  Late this year, Trex will dramatically increase its space beyond its current lab and office space in the state-subsidized technology incubator facility in the Maui Research and Technology Park (known locally as the Tech Park) by relocating to its new building.  Ben Walin of Commercial Properties of Maui stated: “This is a very significant event.  It is the first build-to-suit office building on Maui in the past 15 years.” 

“We have enormous gratitude to U.S. Senator Dan Inouye and his staff for creating a vision to grow a high-tech industry in the Islands.” Said Dr. Ken Tang, Chief Executive Officer of Trex Enterprises. “With their encouragement, we have grown on Maui and have opened offices on Kauai and Oahu. It is a wonderful environment in which to do business and to have the opportunity to provide professional jobs on the Islands. We are grateful to the State of Hawaii to have provided the technology incubator facility in the Maui Research and Technology Park (Tech Park).”

“We at Trex are very excited to have room to grow,” Trex’s Vice President, Dr. Allen Hunter, responsible statewide for Trex’s operations. “The new building is perfect for incubating our own companies that specialize in commercial technology products.  While we are moving into the new facility, our long-term future plans call for a return of Trex’s business management and research offices to the Tech Park. This broadens our business base and strengthens our sustain ability as a business on Maui.”

Trex is now incubating its own subsidiary companies – Loea Corporation (high bandwidth communications), Silicon Kinetics Inc. (biosensors), and e-Phocus (high definition video chips for cell phones).  All of these companies were born in Hawaii and are expanding here.  They will share space with Trex in the new Trex Enterprises’ building. Trex is showing great fiscal care in helping them grow by providing a nurturing, cost effective corporate infrastructure in Hawaii.

“We congratulate Trex for its success,” said Kay Yamada, Manager of Administration and Operations for the State’s High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC). “Trex no longer requires space subsidized by the people of Hawaii.  HTDC can now use the space Trex occupied to support more needy startups on Maui.  We wish Trex continued success.”  Yamada also noted that HTDC contracted the services of the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) to extend the HTDC Incubation Program to support research and development companies at MRTC. 

Dr. Hunter gives credit to HTDC, as well as  Jeanne Skog and Dr. Tak Sugimura of MEDB for their help in guiding Trex in its growth on Maui. “Tak sold us on the attractive lease at the Maui Research Technology Center (MRTC) and later collaborated with us on telemedicine projects in Hawaii,” said Dr. Hunter.  “He also helped us recruit Kama’aina to return home to Maui as Trex employees.  Jeanne introduced us to community leaders and has always worked very hard to help us succeed.”