Wrigley adds 75 jobs with expansion in Yorkville
Chicago-based Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. said it will add 75 jobs in Yorkville when it expands its production facility to make Skittles candy.
The expansion, assisted by the state of Illinois, will help Wrigley also support hundreds of construction jobs.
The company said in a statement that it will invest about $50 million to expand its Yorkville factory, where it employs about 300 people, by 2016. The state's incentives package was a major factor in the company's decision to expand in Yorkville, the company said.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is supporting the expansion with $2 million in tax incentives through the Economic Development for a Growing Economy program, which provides companies with a credit against their state income tax liability. The credit is offered to companies as an incentive to build or expand in Illinois when they are considering other states, the agency said in a statement.
DCEO will also invest $250,000 in construction expenses and $37,500 in job training to assist in the expansion. The company plans to expand its Yorkville plant by 145,000 square feet.
"Wrigley has called Illinois home for more than 100 years," Kevin Fitzpatrick, vice president of supply chain for Wrigley North America, said in a statement. "We have a century-long track record of creating jobs, growing the economy and supporting our local communities in the greater Chicago area. With the expansion of our Skittles production in Illinois, we are proud to continue that tradition. In partnership with the state, we will be able to offer high-quality manufacturing jobs and ensure that the Yorkville facility has an opportunity to grow."
"Yorkville has been the proud home of the Wrigley manufacturing facility since 1995 and we are very excited about the expansion of the facility to accommodate the worldwide growth of Skittles," Yorkville Mayor Gary Golinski said. "Wrigley's confidence in Yorkville reaffirms that Yorkville continues to be a great choice for manufacturing and industry with a strong local workforce. We look forward to our continued partnership as Yorkville and Wrigley continue to grow together."
Wrigley's Yorkville plant has been a strong contributor to the community for more than 20 years, and manufactures some of the company's most well-known brands including Juicy Fruit, Doublemint and Life Savers. Wrigley will break ground on the expansion in a few weeks and start production by the end of 2015.
"The Wrigley company has been a strong business partner of the state of Illinois for more than a century," Governor Quinn said. "This major expansion will mean even more jobs and economic growth for a company whose roots run deep in Illinois. The Wrigley Company knows firsthand that Illinois' skilled workforce is second to none, and there is no better place in the world to grow."