Joliet gets $600M Hyundai investment and 3,750 jobs in the largest Illinois expansion in decades

Hyundai Translead is expanding its planned Illinois manufacturing project to $600 million and raising its job commitment to 3,750 full-time positions, according to the Chicago Business Journal. The announcement reportedly  adds $150 million and 1,250 jobs to the company’s original plan, which called for a $450 million investment and 2,500 jobs.

The company, a U.S. subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co., will build two trailer manufacturing facilities in Will County. The sites will produce equipment including dry and refrigerated van trailers, flatbeds, truck bodies and dollies, the Chicago Business Journal confirmed.

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Third shift adds capacity and jobs

Hyundai Translead said the larger investment will support a third production shift as demand grows and the transportation industry continues its recovery. According to Truck News, the facilities also are expected to support existing operations, additional product lines and future expansion.

“Expanding our planned investment reflects our confidence in Illinois, its workforce, and the long-term growth of our U.S. operations,” CEO Sean Kenney said, according to Hyundai Translead as reported by Truck News. “This increased commitment will create more opportunities for working families, strengthen our manufacturing capabilities, and enhance our ability to serve customers.”

The two plants will occupy 52 acres at 2200-2600 Channahon Road in Joliet. Chicago Business Journal reported that the property was previously used by Caterpillar Inc. and Lion Electric Co., giving the project a role in the redevelopment of former industrial sites.

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State support and workforce training

According to the Office of the Governor, Gov. JB Pritzker called the project one of the largest job-creation announcements in Illinois in decades. Illinois Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Christy George said the state’s transportation network, workforce and access to suppliers helped attract the investment, per the report.

Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy added that the project would help revive a site once associated with thousands of Caterpillar workers. “At full operation, thousands of people will be working here,” D’Arcy said at a news conference.

Illinois will provide Hyundai Translead with tax incentives through the state’s Economic Development for a Growing Economy program, the Chicago Business Journal confirmed. The original agreement cited $69 million in incentives, while state materials reported a broader incentive package of $104 million over 15 years.

The state also plans a Manufacturing Training Academy at Joliet Junior College to prepare workers for industrial maintenance and advanced manufacturing roles, per the governor’s office. The college is expected to expand welding training as Hyundai Translead builds its workforce.