Around 45 new jobs are on the way as the HTC Corporation, a Washington-based smart phone manufacturer, announced a plan to launch its Research and Development office in downtown Durham, North Carolina. The company is aiming to open the office by the end of March 2011 which will mean additional employment on the area. The office will initially serve as the headquarters for its research and development of wireless technology. However, the company revealed plans for a possible expansion over the succeeding years.

Ron Louks, HTC chief strategy officer, said that Durham is a strategic location and that’s why the company decided to invest in the area. “Durham is a perfect place to open our new R&D office because we are able to tap into this deep pool of technical talent that complements HTC’s leading-edge R&D efforts going on around the world.” Louks added that having the new research and development office will allow their company to further improve their products and services. “HTC has been successful bringing its unique brand of people-centric innovation to consumers, and with the establishment of this new R&D office, we are taking an important step to extend our leadership position in the wireless industry.”

The local government is in full support of the upcoming project. In October, Durham officials offered the company a total of $150,000 incentives to attract HTC to launch its the operation in the city. The HTC’s R&D will be built in the space formerly occupied by GlaxoSmithKline located in the American Tobacco Historic District.