Expansion of Wynright Operations in Greater Chicagoland Area

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill.--()--On September 18, 2018, Wynright Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daifuku North America, announced plans to expand its North American U.S. manufacturing capabilities in the Greater Chicago area. The company will consolidate its existing factories in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and Oak Lawn, Ill. into a new, larger facility in Hobart, Indiana, in phases, by the end of December 2019.

In line with the completion of the new factory, the existing factories in Elk Grove and Oak Lawn in Illinois will close. Daifuku Wynright has offered all employees at both sites the opportunity to continue with the company at the new facility. More than 80% of current employees have confirmed their intention to do so.

"Centering on the products manufactured at the Hobart Factory, we plan to double sales over the next five years. We are thrilled we were able to find a suitable facility in the Greater Chicagoland area. Being able to retain and consolidate so many of our skilled, hard-working employees from our existing sites in Elk Grove and Oak Lawn is key to the expansion of our business," said Kevin Ambrose, president and CEO of Wynright Corporation.

To find the location that would meet the need for expansion, Wynright conducted a long and thorough selection process, driven by the following criteria:

  • Ample space to expand from 160,000 sq. ft. to 320,000 sq. ft, with purpose-built, state-of-the-art manufacturing complex and office facility with enough land to allow us to double in size again as projected
  • Location in Greater Chicagoland area
  • Preservation of existing jobs
  • Capability to reduce operating expenses by consolidating two manufacturing operations into one
  • Minimal disruption during the transition
  • High-quality schools, affordable housing, and overall low cost of living

Daifuku Wynright focused the facilities search on the Greater Chicagoland area, seeking maximum proximity to our current locations and easy access to interstate highways. In the process, it evaluated nine properties in Illinois: three in Bolingbrook, three in Romeoville, Hazel Crest, New Lenox, and Sauk Village; and seven just over the border in Indiana, including two in Hobart, and others in Merrillville, Crown Point, Munster, Hammond, and East Chicago.

“The Hobart location met our major concerns best. It is still in the Greater Chicagoland area. It had a 44 acre plot of land that could support the space we needed. It has an excellent school system, affordable housing; a low overall cost of living, and a large and talented manufacturing labor pool,” said Ambrose.

Transition of employees from the Elk Grove and Oak Lawn plants, will begin in August. Wynright Daifuku anticipates also the need to fill administrative, engineering and manufacturing positions locally, creating up to 582 new jobs in Indiana by the end of 2021.

About Wynright Corporation:

Wynright Corporation, a subsidiary of Daifuku North America Holding Company, is a leading provider of intelligent material handling systems. The company designs, manufactures, integrates and installs a full spectrum of intralogistics solutions, offering both Wynright-branded and third-party equipment to meet client needs. These include leading-edge conveyor and sortation systems, voice- and light-directed order fulfillment equipment, a suite of warehouse controls & execution software, robotics, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), mezzanines, and structures, all backed by critical round-the-clock service and support.

Since its founding in 1972, Wynright has been a trusted partner to some of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies, showing them how to use their space more efficiently to deliver improved productivity, today and tomorrow.

About Daifuku North America Holding Company:

Daifuku North America Holding Company is based in Novi, Michigan, with sales and manufacturing locations throughout the continent. It is comprised of Daifuku America Corporation, Jervis B. Webb Company, Elite Line Services, Inc. (ELS), and Wynright Corporation and is a global leader in the design, engineering, manufacturing, installation and service of innovative material handling technology such as automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), conveyors, baggage handling systems, cleanroom systems and airport maintenance services. Daifuku North America specializes in integrated systems used in a variety of industries, including automotive, airport, semiconductor, flat panel, food/beverage, warehousing and manufacturing.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Joe O’Connor
Director of Marketing
Wynright
708.229.8280
joconnor@wynright.com
www.wynright.com

Release Summary

Expansion of Wynright Operations in Greater Chicagoland Area

Contacts

Media Contact:
Joe O’Connor
Director of Marketing
Wynright
708.229.8280
joconnor@wynright.com
www.wynright.com