Baxter to add 200+ jobs at Round Lake facility

Officials in the Round Lake area were pleased to learn Thursday that Baxter International Inc. intends to bring more than 200 jobs to an existing facility in unincorporated Lake County.

Baxter announced the creation of the Round Lake-area positions as part of a bigger package of more than 2,000 new jobs the company plans to add across the United States.

Susan Triphahn, president of the Round Lake Area Chamber of Commerce board, said she was pleased to learn of Baxter's jobs announcement. She said the company has been civic-minded and participated in Thursday's annual chamber scholarship luncheon and awards ceremony for local teenage students.

“Any opportunity for our businesses and for our workforce is obviously a wonderful thing for the entire Round Lake area,” said Triphahn, a Round Lake village trustee.

Baxter's facility at Route 120 and Wilson Road near Round Lake has about 2,500 employees, company spokeswoman Jodi Hall said. She said the site has manufacturing and office operations.

Plans call for the 200-plus new workers to support production of a plasma-based albumin treatment in a flexible container. Officials did not specify a timetable for the new jobs. Deerfield-based Baxter is involved in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

Lake County Board member Bonnie Thomson Carter of Ingleside represents the unincorporated area in Grant Township where Baxter plans to create the jobs. She said Baxter has been committed to western Lake County, in part by purchasing land in the past several years near its existing facility.

“Baxter is a leader in the health care industry,” said Carter, who received a heads-up about the jobs announcement Wednesday night. “I've always been very honored their facilities are in my district.”

Round Lake Mayor James Dietz said he'd welcome Baxter if the company desired to annex within village limits. He said the village could guarantee a steady source of Lake Michigan water for Baxter's operation.

“We've said, ‘When you're ready, come and see us,'” Dietz said.