News Item
10.23.2017
Chicago Growing, Second and Third Quarter 2017
Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food grow in Chicago
This month, Mayor Emanuel announced that Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food will grow their businesses in Chicago. All three companies noted access to talent and markets, and growth opportunities as key reasons for their expansions in the city.
Walgreens announced the company will bring approximately 300 technology positions to its current downtown Chicago office in the Sullivan Center to establish a new technology center of excellence. Through a combination of new hires and relocations from its Deerfield headquarters, Walgreens will double its number of employees working at the Sullivan Center located at 36 S. Wabash Ave.
“We are excited to bring more technology jobs to the city of Chicago and establish a technology center of excellence that will focus on delivering state-of-the-art systems to our more than 8,000 drugstores nationwide,” said Alex Gourlay, president of Walgreens. “Chicago is where Walgreens began as a single drugstore in 1901, and expanding our downtown presence will help us retain and attract the best talent to continue developing our digital and technology capabilities.”
Similarly, Peapod, the country’s leading online grocer, announced the company is relocating its headquarters to downtown Chicago at 300 S. Riverside Plaza. The relocation comes as Peapod is experiencing year-over-year growth across all of its markets.
“Since Peapod was founded in Chicago in 1989 as the country’s first online grocer, we have always considered this city our home,” said Walt Lentz, acting President of Peapod. “Moving our headquarters downtown will allow us to become a bigger part of the Chicago business community and invest in the city’s diverse pool of talent while also growing our business throughout the country.”
In addition, Mars Food North America opened its new headquarters in Chicago (relocating from Los Angeles), making it the fourth Mars office on Goose Island. Building on the 125-year history Mars has with Chicago, the Mars Food office brings 75 jobs to the city and signifies a significant investment in this growing business unit within Mars, Incorporated.
“Moving the Mars Food North America headquarters to Chicago enables our long-term growth objectives by bringing us closer to our factories, our customers and other parts of our business,” said Jarek Swigulski, Regional President of Mars Food North America. “We are excited to join the long-standing relationship and community involvement that Mars has already established in Chicago.”
Similar to Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food, 118 companies relocated or expanded in Chicago in Q2 and Q3 of 2017, listed in this quarter’s Chicago Growing:
Next Gravity | Chicago Location |
Hubergroup USA | Chicago Location |
Metalex | Chicago Location |
Illinois Lift Equipment | Chicago Location |
Aai Chem | Chicago Location |
Packaging Corporation of America | Headquarters |
EX Transport | Headquarters |
BBC Innovation | Chicago Location |
Intersport | Headquarters |
Nielsen | Chicago Location |
Shure Inc | Chicago Location |
Pitchfork | Headquarters |
Mega Polymers | Headquarters |
Communications Test Design | Chicago Location |
CityBase | Chicago Location |
FarmLead | Headquarters |
Sysmex | Chicago Location |
Advocate Health Care | Chicago Location |
Northern Trust | Chicago Location |
ICE Mobility | Headquarters |
Allstate | Chicago Location |
Geodis | Chicago Location |
Nefab | Chicago Location |
Perimeter Global Logistics | Chicago Location |
Nealey Foods | Headquarters |
Dart Container | Chicago Location |
Orbitz | Chicago Location |
DS Smith Plastics | Chicago Location |
Bank of America | Chicago Location |
ActiveCampaign | Chicago Location |
Odyssey Logistics | Chicago Location |
Performics | Chicago Location |
Enova International | Headquarters |
SMS Assist | Headquarters |
Signal (formerly BrightTag) | Chicago Location |
Origami Risk | Chicago Location |
5th COLUMN | Headquarters |
Sprout Social | Headquarters |
PowerReviews | Chicago Location |
Roca Tile | Chicago Location |
G&D Integrated | Chicago Location |
Atosa Catering | Chicago Location |
Gebruder Weiss | Chicago Location |
Roadrunner Transportation | Headquarters |
Alexander Leigh Center for Autism | Headquarters |
Mango Tile | Chicago Location |
Flow Pro Products | Chicago Location |
MHT Wheels | Chicago Location |
Direct Aerosystems | Chicago Location |
Carpet One Floor & Home | Chicago Location |
Sunbelt Rentals | Chicago Location |
Speciality Promotions | Chicago Location |
National Freight Systems | Chicago Location |
Lorig Construction | Headquarters |
Topco Associates | Chicago Location |
Imperial Woodworking | Chicago Location |
Cubic Group | Chicago Location |
Roto Rooter | Chicago Location |
REX Electric | Chicago Location |
Cargo Partner | Chicago Location |
Regal Health Food | Chicago Location |
Xpedient Logistics | Chicago Location |
Gypsum Supply Company | Chicago Location |
Accord Carton | Chicago Location |
Samsung | Chicago Location |
Champion Logistics Group | Chicago Location |
Clearwater Paper | Chicago Location |
Local 881 | Headquarters |
Elkay Manufacturing | Chicago Location |
Novolex | Chicago Location |
Europa Sports Products | Chicago Location |
Stromberg Allen & Co | Chicago Location |
Euroview | Chicago Location |
Morrison Express | Chicago Location |
Gifts For You | Chicago Location |
NaturaQuartz | Chicago Location |
Baltic Foods | Chicago Location |
Sleep Innovations | Chicago Location |
International Packing & Crating | Chicago Location |
Expeditors International | Chicago Location |
Capsa Solutions | Chicago Location |
Snapsheet | Headquarters |
Everfresh International | Headquarters |
Menasha Packaging | Chicago Location |
Microsystems | Chicago Location |
The Duchossois Group | Headquarters |
Convene | Chicago Location |
EnsembleIQ | Headquarters |
Belden Universal | Chicago Location |
The Allant Group | Chicago Location |
SilkRoad Technology | Chicago Location |
4C Insights | Chicago Location |
Fourkites | Chicago Location |
Hireology | Headquarters |
Amazon | Chicago Location |
The Hatchery | Chicago Location |
RAB Lighting | Chicago Location |
Amazon | Chicago Location |
Greco & Sons | Chicago Location |
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. | Chicago Location |
Magick Woods Exports | Chicago Location |
Marketplace Brands | Chicago Location |
Grunt Style | Chicago Location |
Iam Bank | Headquarters |
CMI/Compass | Chicago Location |
FedEx | Chicago Location |
Upwork | Chicago Location |
DHL | Chicago Location |
United Healthcare | Chicago Location |
Nextdoor | Chicago Location |
Kellogg Company | Chicago Location |
Amita Health | Headquarters |
Research | Chicago Location |
West Monroe Partners | Headquarters |
All Tile | Chicago Location |
Rexnord Aerospace | Headquarters |
Fresenius Kabi | Chicago Location |
Distribution International | Chicago Location |
Madden Communications | Chicago Location |
Refers to data (where disclosed) for new and expanding companies with a physical address in the 14-county Chicago region that meet Site Selection Magazine Conway Project Database criteria, and/or is a headquarters facility, and/or was assisted by World Business Chicago (WBC). WBC captures project information from media outlets, press releases, company websites, subscription services and WBC internal reporting; the quality of each record depends on the availability of data and resources to input and confirm information. Data is finalized in the first quarter of the following year to allow for the time lag in project reporting; year-to-date numbers are subject to revision
.
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