Elk Grove mayor wants to help create groovy jobs

Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said Tuesday village officials are working to help Lava Lite, manufacturer of the '60s-era cone-shaped novelty known as the Lava Lamp, bring manufacturing jobs to town.

The company, originally started in Chicago, recently moved its corporate headquarters, warehouse and distribution operations from Elmhurst, where it operated for eight years, to a 70,000-square-foot facility at 1200 Thorndale Ave. in Elk Grove's industrial park.

“They are truly looking to relocate manufacturing from China to the U.S.,” Johnson said at Tuesday night's village board meeting. “They say it's the perfect product to manufacture out of America.”

Johnson said there are federal grants available to help manufacturing companies relocate their operations to the United States and that the village would help Lava Lite apply for funding.

“We're going to try to make that happen,” he said.

It's unclear exactly how many manufacturing jobs are at stake.

Johnson, village trustees and staffers recently toured the Lava Lite distribution center. The company gifted a Lava Lamp to the village, which will be prominently displayed behind the mayor's seat during board meetings, Johnson said.

“It has a very calming, relaxing effect,” Johnson said.

Lava Lite bought the patent from the British inventor of the Lava Lamp in 1965. Each year, the company sells millions of lamps — made with a combination of wax, water and other chemicals — at nearly every major retailer including Target, Costco and Wal-Mart.

According to company officials, 91 percent of 18- to 25-year-old shoppers know what a Lava Lamp is.