Press Releases
GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES MAJOR INVESTMENT PACKAGE FOR ANDREW CORPORATION TO HELP COMPANY UPGRADE ITS FACILITIES AND KEEP MORE THAN 900 JOBS IN ILLINOIS
CHICAGO - Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced more than $8.3 million in Opportunity Returns support for Andrew Corporation, a global designer, manufacturer and supplier of communication equipment, services and systems, to help the company upgrade its facilities, increase its efficiency and keep more than 900 jobs in the Chicagoland area. Andrew Corporation has reached an agreement to sell its Orland Park property and will relocate its global corporate headquarters to Westchester and its manufacturing operations to a separate suburban Chicago location that will provide improved operational effectiveness and upgraded facilities. "Andrew Corporation is another Illinois company that has achieved great success in the global marketplace. Backing innovative, talented companies like these with the right combination of resources and hands-on support is the key to ensuring that Illinois remains a world-class place to do business. When we invest in companies that invest in Illinois, we fuel their growth and competitiveness and create more good jobs for working families across the state," Gov. Blagojevich said. The company's new global corporate headquarters will be located in the Westbrook Corporate Center in Westchester "Andrew will continue calling the Chicago area its home and build upon the tradition we've established during the past 68 years in the Chicagoland area," said Ralph Faison, president and chief executive officer, Andrew Corporation. "The value of our Orland Park property enables us to fund the move to a new company headquarters and world-class manufacturing facility. I am also thankful for all of Gov. Blagojevich's support in helping to make this decision possible." The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is administering the investment package, which includes Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) corporate income tax credits over the next ten years based on job retention numbers and Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) job training funds that will help enhance the skills of its workforce. "With the challenges of today's global economy, it's more important than ever to work closely with businesses to understand their unique needs and objectives, and then respond with the kind of customized support that will help them achieve their goals. Gov. Blagojevich continues making the types of investments that are essential to creating an attractive environment that help companies like Andrew Corporation thrive and that will continue to fuel more economic growth," DCEO Director Jack Lavin said. Gov. Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn't work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions - each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.
Press Releases