Splenda maker to open center in Hoffman Estates
Tate & Lyle PLC, makers of Splenda calorie-free sweetener, today announced plans to establish a new, $26 million commercial and food innovation center in Hoffman Estates.
The 110,000-square-foot, three-story building, to be leased by Tate & Lyle, will feature laboratories, a demonstration kitchen, and sensory testing, analytical and pilot plant facilities. The new center will be specifically designed to meet customers' functional, formulation and nutritional needs and to accelerate the process of bringing new products to market.
The new center will be the global headquarters of Tate & Lyle's Innovation and Commercial Development group and the regional headquarters for the Specialty Food Ingredients business in North America.
The center will also act as the base for U.S. employees with global responsibilities and the president of the bulk ingredients global business unit and his support staff, will be located there. These groups are all currently located in Decatur and employees from these groups eventually will be relocating to the Chicago area. About 160 positions will be located in the new center.
The new center is expected to cost $26 million and be operational by the end of 2011.
“This announcement represents an important step in positioning Tate & Lyle to deliver on its clear focus of becoming the leading global provider of specialty food ingredients and solutions, Tate & Lyle CEO Javed Ahmed said in a statement.
The headquarters and leadership team of Tate & Lyle's Americas Bulk Ingredients business will continue to be based in Decatur.