* From March of this year…

Hyundai Translead, a leading manufacturer of truck trailers and flatbeds, is firing up two shuttered industrial plants along the Des Plaines River in Will County, with a commitment to bring thousands of jobs to the region.

Backed by an initial investment of $450 million, the California-based subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. is launching two manufacturing sites across 52 acres, breathing new life into both the short-lived Lion Electric bus facility in Channahon and the nearby former Caterpillar plant in Joliet.

The company is planning to repurpose the existing facilities and begin operations by 2027. By 2029, Hyundai Translead has committed to creating 2,500 full-time jobs between the two sites, according to an EDGE tax credit agreement with the state of Illinois. […]

Announced at an American Trucking Associations conference in Nashville, the new Illinois facilities will both increase production for Hyundai Translead and improve logistics for its dealer network, moving manufacturing closer to hundreds of its customers in the Midwest.

* Gov. JB Pritzker today…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that Hyundai Translead is expanding its planned investment in Will County – creating a total of 3,750 new full-time jobs and investing $600 million. Since announcing its decision to establish an Illinois manufacturing presence in March 2026, Hyundai Translead has decided to add a third shift in order to meet growing demand. To support the project and provide opportunities for Illinoisans to train in advanced manufacturing, the State is also investing in a new Manufacturing Training Academy (MTA) at Joliet Junior College (JJC). ​ ​ […]

To support Hyundai Translead’s investment in Will County, a new Manufacturing Training Academy (MTA) at Joliet Junior College (JJC) is being established to strengthen the regional workforce development pipeline, equip Illinoisans with the skills needed for in-demand manufacturing careers, and help ensure the state’s growing manufacturing industry continues to have access to a highly skilled workforce. ​

The MTA will expand JJC’s ability to train industrial maintenance and advanced manufacturing technicians in addition to doubling their welding capacity. The State’s strategic investment in this advanced manufacturing MTA at JJC builds on previously announced manufacturing training academies being developed around the state to prepare Illinoisans for good-paying careers in manufacturing. […]

As part of a comprehensive incentive package, Hyundai Translead is part of the EDGE program. So far in 2026, companies participating in the EDGE program have committed to creating 6,000 new jobs and nearly $2.8 billion in investments.