In its new July 2023 issue, Site Selection magazine has published the inaugural edition of “America’s Best Counties,” a new ranking based on Conway Data’s proprietary Conway Projects Database of corporate facility investment data.

On the list of America’s Best Counties by Total Projects, were four Chicagoland Counties, including Cook County, tied for #2 with 231 projects, DuPage County at #9 with 91 projects, Kane County, tied for #14 with 52 projects, and Will County, tied for #16 with 48 projects. 

“These four counties (all GCEP members) are proof that a rising tide floats all boats—a philosophy I’ve always believed in,” said Greg Bedalov, President & CEO of Choose DuPage. “When we create good conditions for businesses across the region, it’s good for everyone at every level. I’m so proud of the work we’ve done and the collaborative environment we’ve built across the region. And we’re just getting started!”

Illinois was the only state with four or more contiguous counties making the list. Earlier this year, Site Selection named the Chicago region the top metro in the U.S. for business growth, a ranking it’s held for the last ten years. 

AMERICA’S BEST COUNTIES BY TOTAL PROJECTS

(JAN. 2022 – MARCH 2023)

Source: Conway Projects Database, Conway Data Inc./Site Selection

From “Chicagoland’s economic development strategy? Creativity and collaboration” – Daily Herald

For Chicagoland, the change just keeps coming. As the region adapts to shifting supply chains and new ways of working, fresh disruptions — from technologies to economic trends — are pouring in from every direction.

So, in an era of relentless change, what’s the right economic development strategy? At Choose DuPage, we believe that it’s all about creativity and collaboration.

For a good example of this approach in action, let’s head to the golf course.

Until recently, Pheasant Run didn’t seem like a place with much potential. After closing in 2019, the St. Charles golf course sat empty for several years.

Meanwhile, Chicagoland’s industrial real estate developers were facing a profound problem: There just wasn’t enough space. Vacancy rates were at an all-time low, rents were rising, and developers couldn’t find enough large parcels to meet demand.

Then, people started getting creative. While a golf course might not seem like the obvious choice for an industrial space, developer Greco/DeRosa saw potential. Now, the group is developing the unused land into a 1.5-million-square-foot industrial development, a big win for businesses and the St. Charles community.

Real estate expert Jim Adler of NAI Hiffman says that this is exactly the kind of creativity we need.

“There is an opportunity for developers and communities to figure out how all the puzzle pieces fit together,” he says.

Choose DuPage is helping supercharge this creative approach to economic development. Our organization works with municipalities, site selectors and real estate brokers to identify “Areas of Opportunity,” land that is ripe for redevelopment. We market these hidden gems to decision-makers, then help them navigate any issues that emerge along the way.

Limited space isn’t the only challenge that Chicagoland communities face. Today’s DuPage County businesses must contend with an ultralow unemployment rate of about 3.1%. Low unemployment may sound like a good thing — and it can be, for workers — but for businesses, it creates labor challenges.

Meanwhile, many employees continue working remote, which means that some offices are left empty and the future of commercial real estate remains uncertain.

There’s no catchall solution to these challenges. But Choose DuPage and other organizations are finding innovative ways to address them.

One of the most obvious but critical solutions is to foster an environment that is both business-friendly and people-friendly. That means actively working to create a climate that encourages businesses to come here and stay here. It also means that health, education, arts and culture — the things that really matter to people when choosing a place to live — are top priorities.

Choose DuPage brings together local leaders to focus on a well-rounded economic development strategy, one that accounts for the needs of businesses, communities and people alike. At the same time, we promote our business-friendly, people-friendly region — along with other key differentiators, like DuPage County’s robust transportation infrastructure and strategic location — to attract businesses and talent.

Promoting Chicagoland takes a village. Scratch that — it takes an entire region. In a historic move, Choose DuPage and DuPage County recently joined six other counties and the city of Chicago to form the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership. Together, we promote the region’s collective assets, driving investment and empowering Chicagoland to compete on a global scale.

“It’s long been a passion of mine to work collaboratively with like-minded leaders and communities across the region,” said Greg Bedalov, President & CEO of Choose DuPage.

“This is about telling a new story: The story of Chicago and Chicagoland. A story that is optimistic, forward-looking and focused on the best of our community. Those of us who live, work and do business here know that this is a place with unlimited potential, and GCEP gives us a platform to share our story at a global scale.

“It’s time for the rest of the world to see Chicagoland the way we do.”

Learn more at ChooseDuPage.com/ready.

Site Selection Magazine has named the Chicago region the Top Metro in the U.S. for corporate relocation and site selection, for the tenth consecutive year. News of the Chicago region’s Top Metro rank for 10 consecutive years was announced at an event this month, where World Business Chicago convened city and regional leaders with companies that made pro-Chicago decisions in 2022.

Site Selection Magazine reports that the Chicagoland metro area saw a record number of new and expanding corporate locations, more than any other region in the country. “If winning multiple championships establishes dynasties, what do you call it when you win ten years in a row?” asks Site Selection Managing Editor Adam Bruns. “In Chicagoland, they hand the ball back to the ref and act like they’ve been there before. Because they have. Our project data tell us the metro area continues to attract companies and the talent those companies covet. Led by World Business Chicago, the newly formed Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership and most of all by talented professionals, workers and business leaders, the region continues to meet its challenges with creative solutions, bold programs and the sort of candor and openness that’s almost a Chicago brand.”

Major companies such as Mars Wrigley, Kellogg’s, Google, BMO, EeroQ, Bartesian, New Cold, and Lion Electric are among those that have recently expanded or relocated to Chicago in 2022, contributing to the economy and bringing substantial investments, job growth, and new opportunities to the region. The region’s ongoing efforts to create a dynamic and welcoming business environment, along with its commitment to driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth that benefits all residents, have helped to maintain its status as the top metro for corporate investment in the US.

The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership promotes the region as a powerhouse with a well-established infrastructure, deeply rooted industries, and a robust network of businesses. With its exceptional connectivity, the region is uniquely positioned to weather economic challenges. The greater Chicagoland region is now home to a thriving startup ecosystem, bolstered by a growth capital network, driven by innovation and technology. These newly emerging and accelerated ecosystems are set to propel the region towards an even brighter economic future.

About the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership

The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP), a first-of-its-kind united effort including the City of Chicago, Cook County, and six counties across metropolitan Chicago, is driving a regional economic strategy intended to deliver mutual benefits to the partners, and strengthen the greater Chicagoland region’s economic force in an increasingly fierce competitive global market.  The GCEP is focused on promoting the region’s many assets, including extensive freight infrastructure, diverse talent, strong exporting industries, and world-class institutions of innovation, research, and culture as its competitive global identity.

• CyrusOne Data Center – $250 million facility located in Aurora
• Ferrero – Bloomington manufacturing facility; $214.4 million investment and 200 jobs
• GAF Commercial Roofing – Peru manufacturing plant; $80 million investment and 70 jobs
• LG Chem/ADM – two new joint ventures in Decatur; 125 jobs
• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet – Princeton distribution center; $68 million investment and 145 jobs
• Prime Data Centers – New $1 billion data center in Elk Grove Village
• T/CCI – Decatur retooling for EV component manufacturing; $20 million investment and 50 jobs
• Tyson Foods – Caseyville manufacturing facility expansion, $180 million investment and 400 jobs

Canadian engineering firm Merkur recently opened an office in Downers Grove, Illinois. Now, they’re working with longtime client Lion Electric – a zero-emissions vehicle manufacturer in nearby Joliet – as well as other Chicagoland businesses, to improve their efficiency and help them compete in a dynamic global market. Let’s take a look at what factors attracted Merkur to DuPage and how they’re helping shape the region’s future. 

Merkur was looking for the next big thing.

For nearly 30 years, the Quebec, Canada-based engineering firm had partnered with manufacturers across North America. During that time, they built a reputation as the “brains of the industry,” helping their clients upgrade systems, eliminate bottlenecks, develop new products, and build strategies that help businesses stay competitive.

From the very beginning, one of Merkur’s differentiators was their focus on implementation—the art of getting stuff done. While other engineering firms may provide helpful information, Merkur takes it a step further, working directly with clients to put their plans into action. Got a bottleneck that’s slowing down your factory? They identify the problem, tell you how to fix it, then work with you to make it happen. Going electric? They develop a plan to modify your assembly line and solve various logistical challenges, like sourcing and storing batteries. Then, they help you put that plan into action.

To put it another way, Merkur’s business is all about evolution: evolving products, assembly lines and entire businesses.

So when it came time to evolve their own company, they were ready.  

In 2021, the firm decided to open a second location. At the time, change was sweeping through the manufacturing industry; the technology was evolving, the supply chain was reorganizing, and the Electric Vehicles (EV) sector was revving up its engines. While Merkur’s portfolio had grown in recent years, they saw an opportunity to expand into new markets and help lead manufacturers through times of big, fast change. For decades, they helped Quebec’s manufacturing industry evolve; now, they were ready to bring their expertise to a new market.

But first, they had to choose the right location. And as they began weighing their options, they found a (literal) world of possibilities.

A Global Search

As they began their search for a second office location, Merkur kept an open mind. They considered places around the world, from Ontario to France. From the outset, they wanted their new office to focus on their core business: manufacturing’s transportation sector, the making of buses, ambulances, trucks, trains and ATVs. Whatever location they chose, it would have to be a place where this industry had a bright future.

“And then an opportunity came along,” said Jonathan Levesque, Merkur’s Director of Business Development and USA Market. “That’s often how life works, isn’t it? You prepare, you get ready for your next big move, and then something shows up.

“What showed up, of course, was Lion Electric.”

Follow the Leader

Also based in Quebec, Lion Electric manufactures zero-emissions vehicles like school buses and urban trucks. For years, Merkur had partnered with Lion to improve their Canadian manufacturing plant and assist in product design.

One day, when Merkur was in the middle of their search for a second location, they received a call from their longtime client. As it turned out, Lion Electric was also looking to expand into a new market. Their search had brought them to Northern Illinois, the heart of the U.S. manufacturing industry and an epicenter of the growing EV sector. Lion planned to build a new headquarters in Joliet, a 900,000-square foot facility that would produce up to 20,000 electric vehicles each year.

They were building the future in Chicagoland, and they wanted Merkur to join them.  

The “Sweet Spot”

Working with Choose DuPage, which provided data and analysis on local market conditions, the Merkur team took an in-depth look at Northern Illinois’ manufacturing sector.

“We quickly discovered there’s a lot of similarity between Quebec and Chicagoland,” Jonathan said. “There are many manufacturers here that fall within our core business. In fact, there are more in Chicagoland than the entire province of Quebec.”

In the Chicagoland region, manufacturing roots run deep. As a result, the market is a mix of new, ‘greenfield’ factories, like Lion Electric’s Joliet facility, and legacy manufacturers that have been operating in the region for decades. Merkur saw an opportunity to do business with both.

“Chicagoland really is the sweet spot,” said Dan Krohn, Business Development Manager at Merkur. “On the one hand, we’re very interested in the shiny new facilities. We want to be on the front end of planning those factories.

“On the other, you have all these third-generation, fourth-generation businesses in the Chicago area. They’ve evolved, they’ve grown. But maybe they haven’t grown with the most focused strategy, and now their facilities need a little engineering love. We can step in and help them with a five-year plan to restructure the layout, fix bottlenecks, whatever they need.

“The one thing all manufacturers have in common is that they continually need to improve their flow and become more efficient. We can help anybody do that, whether their factory is brand-new, very old, or somewhere in between.”

“There’s Something Happening Here”

In 2021, Merkur opened their new office in Downers Grove, Illinois. From here, the firm is a short drive from their client Lion Electric in Joliet, as well as hundreds of potential clients across the Northern Illinois region. Merkur is in the “sweet spot,” a place where they can continue serving a key legacy client while expanding their portfolio amid a growing market.

The firm sees a bright future for the region, and they plan to be a part of it. Between Chicagoland’s legacy as a manufacturing powerhouse and its ability to attract top talent, the region is a global manufacturing leader, and it’s already setting the stage for the industry’s future. 

Competition from other regions will be fierce, but part of Merkur’s role is to help local manufacturers adapt, upgrade and stay competitive at a global level. And that’s a good thing for Chicagoland. When Merkur helps local businesses function better and be more profitable, those businesses are more likely to continue bringing jobs and investment to the local community, while encouraging others to do the same.

For Merkur, one of the region’s most exciting aspects is its fast-growing EV sector. The firm saw how the industry transformed Quebec; now, they’re experiencing the beginning of a similar phenomenon in Northern Illinois.

“Every single customer that’s on rails or wheels is going electric, or at least talking about it. All of them,” Jonathan said.

“Seeing that Lion was moving to Illinois, along with Rivian and others, is exciting for us. We can feel there’s something happening here. We’ve been a part of it in Quebec, and now we’re part of it here in Chicagoland.”

DuPage County has joined together with Cook, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, Lake, and Will Counties and the City of Chicago in an innovative partnership to drive economic growth and advance equity across the region. The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership will focus on promoting the region’s assets – including extensive freight infrastructure, diverse talent, strong exporting industries, world-class research institutions, and culture to develop an identity that can compete on a global scale.

World Business Chicago manages the Partnership, and Greg Bedalov, President & CEO of Choose DuPage will serve as Chair of the Board of Directors.

“The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership is one of the largest advancements in our collective economic history,” said Greg Bedalov. “Thank you to the many private- and public-sector leaders that have long advocated in favor of regional collaboration. As President & CEO of Choose DuPage, I’ve always said that a strong region is what’s best for a strong DuPage. I look forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring to all our communities and will continue to share updates on our progress.”

The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership Statement of Collaboration

We acknowledge that our northeastern Illinois region — including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties as well as the city of Chicago — is interconnected and interdependent. We believe that the region can achieve more to strengthen jobs and capital investment by working together than any one community can on its own. We know that the region’s extensive assets offer significant opportunities to provide shared prosperity across different and diverse communities. And we recognize that joint action can ensure robust, equitable economic growth by building a globally competitive ecosystem that works for everyone, with world-class transportation infrastructure, economic sectors, talent, and innovation.

Wishing to enter a new era of regional cooperation, we join together to make the following commitments, with the goal of facilitating activities that better take advantage of our shared opportunities and complement our unique interests:

• As a forum for local government leadership, we will engage corporate, civic, and institutional partners to leverage our combined strengths and implement approved joint plans for the benefit of the region.
• We will enlist federal and state governments to play key roles as partners and funders of regional initiatives in coordination with existing agencies and activities.
• We will improve our inter-jurisdictional and inter-agency communication to share all information as is necessary and prudent to create efficient and effective opportunities for collaboration.
• We will develop methods and resources for deliberate action that advances the region, with an emphasis on the needs of marginalized communities and the potential to enhance our global economic competitiveness.
• We will set the highest standards of professional conduct, trust, and integrity for ourselves, our staffs, and our partners to maximize regional benefits for public expenditures.
• We will evaluate both the overall economic progress of the entire region as well as individual communities as we measure success.