Lee & Associates recently completed two transactions involving new North American headquarter facilities which will incorporate manufacturing/assembly into their new U.S. operations. In both transactions, the clients are moving a portion of their manufacturing/assembly operations from Europe to Illinois. The combination of the strong skilled U.S. workforce and vibrant economy was attractive to these companies.

The two transactions include Bystronic’s advanced 162,874-square-foot Experience Center in the western Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Illinois and Faber-Castell Cosmetics’ first North American manufacturing plant, which is a 73,000-square-foot facility in Elgin, Illinois.

The Bystronic facility will serve as the new hub for their North and South American business operations, including sales, service, spare parts and the refurbishing of used machines. Bystronic is a worldwide organization with their parent company based in Zurich, Switzerland. Faber-Castell is headquartered in Stein, Germany and was founded in 1761. Their facility will serve as its North American headquarters and manufacturing plant for production of cosmetic pencils and other product lines.

These recent transactions, along with others in the state, could mean renewed interest in manufacturing/assembly operations being relocated to Illinois and the Midwest from overseas. Jeff Janda, SIOR and Mike Plumb, principals of Lee & Associates of Illinois, brokered both transactions.