News Item

10.23.2017

Chicago Growing, Second and Third Quarter 2017

Chicago Growing, Second and Third Quarter 2017

Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food grow in Chicago

This month, Mayor Emanuel announced that Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food will grow their businesses in Chicago. All three companies noted access to talent and markets, and growth opportunities as key reasons for their expansions in the city.

Walgreens announced the company will bring approximately 300 technology positions to its current downtown Chicago office in the Sullivan Center to establish a new technology center of excellence. Through a combination of new hires and relocations from its Deerfield headquarters, Walgreens will double its number of employees working at the Sullivan Center located at 36 S. Wabash Ave.

“We are excited to bring more technology jobs to the city of Chicago and establish a technology center of excellence that will focus on delivering state-of-the-art systems to our more than 8,000 drugstores nationwide,” said Alex Gourlay, president of Walgreens. “Chicago is where Walgreens began as a single drugstore in 1901, and expanding our downtown presence will help us retain and attract the best talent to continue developing our digital and technology capabilities.”

Similarly, Peapod, the country’s leading online grocer, announced the company is relocating its headquarters to downtown Chicago at 300 S. Riverside Plaza. The relocation comes as Peapod is experiencing year-over-year growth across all of its markets.

“Since Peapod was founded in Chicago in 1989 as the country’s first online grocer, we have always considered this city our home,” said Walt Lentz, acting President of Peapod. “Moving our headquarters downtown will allow us to become a bigger part of the Chicago business community and invest in the city’s diverse pool of talent while also growing our business throughout the country.”

In addition, Mars Food North America opened its new headquarters in Chicago (relocating from Los Angeles), making it the fourth Mars office on Goose Island. Building on the 125-year history Mars has with Chicago, the Mars Food office brings 75 jobs to the city and signifies a significant investment in this growing business unit within Mars, Incorporated.

“Moving the Mars Food North America headquarters to Chicago enables our long-term growth objectives by bringing us closer to our factories, our customers and other parts of our business,” said Jarek Swigulski, Regional President of Mars Food North America. “We are excited to join the long-standing relationship and community involvement that Mars has already established in Chicago.”

Similar to Walgreens, Peapod and Mars Food, 118 companies relocated or expanded in Chicago in Q2 and Q3 of 2017, listed in this quarter’s Chicago Growing:

Next Gravity Chicago Location
Hubergroup USA Chicago Location
Metalex Chicago Location
Illinois Lift Equipment Chicago Location
Aai Chem Chicago Location
Packaging Corporation of America Headquarters
EX Transport Headquarters
BBC Innovation Chicago Location
Intersport Headquarters
Nielsen Chicago Location
Shure Inc Chicago Location
Pitchfork Headquarters
Mega Polymers Headquarters
Communications Test Design Chicago Location
CityBase Chicago Location
FarmLead Headquarters
Sysmex Chicago Location
Advocate Health Care Chicago Location
Northern Trust Chicago Location
ICE Mobility Headquarters
Allstate Chicago Location
Geodis Chicago Location
Nefab Chicago Location
Perimeter Global Logistics Chicago Location
Nealey Foods Headquarters
Dart Container Chicago Location
Orbitz Chicago Location
DS Smith Plastics Chicago Location
Bank of America Chicago Location
ActiveCampaign Chicago Location
Odyssey Logistics Chicago Location
Performics Chicago Location
Enova International Headquarters
SMS Assist Headquarters
Signal (formerly BrightTag) Chicago Location
Origami Risk Chicago Location
5th COLUMN Headquarters
Sprout Social Headquarters
PowerReviews Chicago Location
Roca Tile Chicago Location
G&D Integrated Chicago Location
Atosa Catering Chicago Location
Gebruder Weiss Chicago Location
Roadrunner Transportation Headquarters
Alexander Leigh Center for Autism Headquarters
Mango Tile Chicago Location
Flow Pro Products Chicago Location
MHT Wheels Chicago Location
Direct Aerosystems Chicago Location
Carpet One Floor & Home Chicago Location
Sunbelt Rentals Chicago Location
Speciality Promotions Chicago Location
National Freight Systems Chicago Location
Lorig Construction Headquarters
Topco Associates Chicago Location
Imperial Woodworking Chicago Location
Cubic Group Chicago Location
Roto Rooter Chicago Location
REX Electric Chicago Location
Cargo Partner Chicago Location
Regal Health Food Chicago Location
Xpedient Logistics Chicago Location
Gypsum Supply Company Chicago Location
Accord Carton Chicago Location
Samsung Chicago Location
Champion Logistics Group Chicago Location
Clearwater Paper Chicago Location
Local 881 Headquarters
Elkay Manufacturing Chicago Location
Novolex Chicago Location
Europa Sports Products Chicago Location
Stromberg Allen & Co Chicago Location
Euroview Chicago Location
Morrison Express Chicago Location
Gifts For You Chicago Location
NaturaQuartz Chicago Location
Baltic Foods Chicago Location
Sleep Innovations Chicago Location
International Packing & Crating Chicago Location
Expeditors International Chicago Location
Capsa Solutions Chicago Location
Snapsheet Headquarters
Everfresh International Headquarters
Menasha Packaging Chicago Location
Microsystems Chicago Location
The Duchossois Group Headquarters
Convene Chicago Location
EnsembleIQ Headquarters
Belden Universal Chicago Location
The Allant Group Chicago Location
SilkRoad Technology Chicago Location
4C Insights Chicago Location
Fourkites Chicago Location
Hireology Headquarters
Amazon Chicago Location
The Hatchery Chicago Location
RAB Lighting Chicago Location
Amazon Chicago Location
Greco & Sons Chicago Location
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Chicago Location
Magick Woods Exports Chicago Location
Marketplace Brands Chicago Location
Grunt Style Chicago Location
Iam Bank Headquarters
CMI/Compass Chicago Location
FedEx Chicago Location
Upwork Chicago Location
DHL Chicago Location
United Healthcare Chicago Location
Nextdoor Chicago Location
Kellogg Company Chicago Location
Amita Health Headquarters
Research Chicago Location
West Monroe Partners Headquarters
All Tile Chicago Location
Rexnord Aerospace Headquarters
Fresenius Kabi Chicago Location
Distribution International Chicago Location
Madden Communications Chicago Location

Refers to data (where disclosed) for new and expanding companies with a physical address in the 14-county Chicago region that meet Site Selection Magazine Conway Project Database criteria, and/or is a headquarters facility, and/or was assisted by World Business Chicago (WBC). WBC captures project information from media outlets, press releases, company websites, subscription services and WBC internal reporting; the quality of each record depends on the availability of data and resources to input and confirm information. Data is finalized in the first quarter of the following year to allow for the time lag in project reporting; year-to-date numbers are subject to revision
.

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