James Hardie, the world's leading manufacturer of fiber-cement building materials, recently selected Chicago for its new North American headquarters.
The company has moved into a new 22,000-square-foot office space downtown at 231 S. LaSalle, where it added executives from Amsterdam and California (home toits previous North American headquarters, and where it still has a presence), and has plans to continue its expansion. The company previously had a sales office, employing approximately 57 in Chicago.
James Hardie's North American headquarters will house approximately 100 people including senior managers responsible for R&D, engineering, manufacturing, HR, logistics and product management, as well as finance and legal functions. The new headquarters will also accommodate James Hardie's US customer service department.
James Hardie's North American operations employ approximately 1,643 people and, last fiscal year, generated sales in excess of $828 million. Louis Gries, CEO of James Hardie, said the new headquarters represent a significant expansion for the company in Chicago.
"We have run our Northern and Eastern business operations from Chicago for some years now and our experience here has convinced us that the city is a great centralized location for managing our North America operations and for consolidating our management," Gries said. "The City of Chicago's focus on innovation and sustainable development is a good fit for our culture and our products.
"Chicago's central location and airport facilities also provide our managers with convenient and efficient access to our operations throughout the United States and in Europe and Asia Pacific."
“We are thrilled to welcome James Hardie to Chicago, and welcome them to the long list of international companies who select Chicago for their headquarters,” said Rita Athas, president of World Business Chicago. James Hardie is an international leader in building materials, and expanding in Chicago will provide the company with unique access to the North American market. We look forward to working with this industry leader in years to come.”
About James Hardie:
James Hardie Industries S.E. (NYSE:JHX) is committed to helping builders by providing innovative solutions that ultimately increase home value. As the world's leading manufacturer of fiber-cement building materials, James Hardie has been manufacturing cement-based building products for more than 100 years. It introduced fiber-cement products to the US in the early 90s as a durable, low-maintenance alternative to wood and vinyl. Due to their resistance to wind, fire, impact and flood, James Hardie products also have been specified for homes in hurricane- and wildfire-prone areas throughout the US. Currently installed on over four million homes, James Hardie products have earned a favorable reputation within the industry and have been specified in some of the country's most prestigious projects. More information is at www.jameshardie.com and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
