Hyundai Motor Group’s North American affiliate, Hyundai Translead, is investing $600 million to establish two manufacturing facilities in Will County, southwest of Chicago, with plans to create 3,750 permanent jobs.
Record-Breaking Manufacturing Investment in Illinois
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the major investment and employment expansion plan. State officials described the initiative as the largest single job creation commitment by a manufacturing company in recent Illinois history.
Hyundai Translead initially planned to invest approximately $450 million and create 2,500 jobs in Will County. However, to meet surging product demand, the company introduced a three-shift work schedule at its production lines, scaling up its total investment to $600 million and expanding its workforce target to 3,750 employees. Through this expansion, Hyundai aims to broaden its North American transport equipment production base and cater to growing customer demand.
Repurposing Existing Facilities for Commercial Transport
The two new manufacturing facilities will be developed by retrofitting former Caterpillar heavy equipment facilities and the former site of electric bus manufacturer Lion Electric. Hyundai Translead specializes in commercial transport equipment, including dry freight trailers, refrigerated trailers, flatbeds, and truck bodies. The company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company.
This project is particularly significant as it revitalizes existing industrial infrastructure to strengthen the local manufacturing base and boost regional employment.
Addressing Labor Shortages and Workforce Training
To secure a skilled labor pool, the Illinois state government will establish a manufacturing training academy at Joliet Junior College (JJC). The academy will train workers in industrial equipment maintenance and advanced manufacturing technologies, helping local manufacturers overcome ongoing labor shortages. Governor Pritzker noted that while Illinois has approximately 650,000 manufacturing workers, many open positions remain unfilled due to a lack of candidates with the required technical skills.
This announcement comes amid a backdrop of manufacturing job declines and corporate relocations in Illinois. Tyson Foods closed its beef processing plant in Rock Island County earlier this year, and Caterpillar previously relocated its global headquarters to Texas in 2022.
Governor Pritzker stated that Illinois competed with multiple states to secure the Hyundai Translead project. The state government expects the investment to inject vital economic momentum into Joliet, Will County, and the broader regional economy.
