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* UPDATED x1 * Illinois lands new corporate HQ

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* Wisconsin was reportedly in the running to snag this corporate headquarters, but Illinois won out. More details as the story develops…

Paris-based building-materials giant Lafarge will relocate its North American headquarters from Virginia to Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn’s office confirmed early this morning.

The manufacturer, which employs 76,000 people worldwide, selected the state due to its transportation network, central location and skilled workforce, according to Quinn’s office.

The deal was sealed last month when Quinn traveled to Europe with Chicago’s NATO Summit host committee, his office said. The delegation visited NATO headquarters in Brussels, and Quinn held some business meetings as well.

Expect a press release soon.

*** UPDATE *** From a press release…

Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Lafarge North America is investing approximately $10 million to relocate its U.S. headquarters from Virginia to Illinois. Lafarge, one of the largest cement, aggregate and concrete manufacturers in the world, will create more than 90 jobs in Illinois in the first two years and likely more than 100 jobs over three to four years. By moving its U.S. headquarters to Illinois, Lafarge will gain access to Illinois’ pool of highly-skilled workers, world-class transportation infrastructure and central location. Governor Quinn personally recruited Lafarge and met with its senior leadership during a recent economic trade mission to Europe. […]

Lafarge is eligible for an Employer Training Investment Program grant to help increase the skills of its workforce and Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits, which are based on job credits. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will administer the state’s targeted investment package.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:29 am

Comments

Up yours Walker.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:41 am
I guess Walker IS helping Illinois, not only by speaking today, but giving Illinois our “before” picture, with Illinois as the “after”…

Thanks Gov. Walker!

WISCONSIN’S OFFICAL PITCH TRANSCRIPT:

Gov. Walker (GW): Wisconsin has so much to offer, like we have a great lake, we are THE transportation hub for the Midwest, we have major cities and a rural country to give your business and employess a full flavor of America.

Lafarge (L): Wow, impressive. How about education, colleges?

GW: We have world class colleges! You would be hard-pressed to find any state, even in the Midwest that can match Wisconsin.

L: What we really like is Chicago. I bet you are proud of your city and your entire state.

GW: (pause) Uh, Chicago … (apuse)… that’s Illinois … we’re Wisconsin … Milwaukee! … Laverne and Shirley? … Madison? … Go Badgers!the PACKERS? …WISCONSIN!

L: (pause) Oh ….Well, good luck with all that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:43 am
Perfect timing.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:51 am
Great news! And yet I wonder what deal Gov. Quinn gave them to locate here

Comment by Robert Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:54 am
Great timing.

What’s the mission of the Illinois Chamber, anyway?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:57 am
How many employees? How much did Q drop on the table?

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 10:57 am
Just to put a little more perspective on this…
Lafarge did lay off 35 Illinoisans last month

http://www.wsiltv.com/home/top-story/Lafarge-Announces-Layoffs-142800525.html

Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 11:16 am
Good news, with good timing. Still it’s 200 jobs which will do well as long as concrete is needed. Not quite like WalMart moving their corp HQ to Bolingbrook or Apple moving manufacturing of the new IPAD to Centralia.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 11:46 am
Do we know where in Illinois?

Comment by Ann Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 11:56 am
An oped in the Tribune by an old donor, a French company bringing 90 jobs to Illinois and it’s not even noon yet. Team Quinn seems a little anxious about Governor Total Recall’s visit today.

Will be interesting to see if the teachers union does any protesting during the NATO summit next month with all the media here.

Comment by Shore Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 11:58 am
Yes!

Now if we can just get them to bring another 50 jobs, that will neutralize losing Modern Drop Forge and their 250 jobs to Indiana!

Wait, you mean it doesn’t work like that?

Comment by Freeman Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 12:01 pm
>>>Lafarge is eligible for an Employer Training Investment Program grant to help increase the skills of its workforce and Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits, which are based on job credits. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will administer the state’s targeted investment package.

Comment by Curious Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 12:02 pm
===that will neutralize===

Only if you’re looking at total numbers of jobs and not incomes. A corporate HQ would likely have much higher income positions than those Modern Drop Forge jobs had.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 12:03 pm
In retaliation, Governor Walker has brought in the German pop-dance group La Bouche to sing the Wisconsin state anthem. Take that, Governor Quinn!

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 12:08 pm
I’m interested in knowing what type of training we can provide that will help Corp HQ employees.

Comment by Hickory Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 12:28 pm
According to MacRae’s Bluebook

Lafarge in North America is the largest diversified supplier of construction materials in the United States and Canada. Headquartered outside of Washington D.C., Lafarge employs approximately 16,600 people who work at more than 1,000 Lafarge locations across the United States and Canada.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 2:10 pm
This particular corporate relocation makes substantial business sense. Lafarge in North America is substantially into cement/building materials, and considering that Cemex (See Lorenzo Zambrano, Mexico) is probably their largest US compeditor, not a bad move to have your North American HQ be more centrally located.

In This case, Cemex also being by far your largest competition in South and Central America, Virginia is probably not be the best location for accessing all your North American business locations.

Note that Cemex has done an extraordinary job of infusing technology into the field operations. There’s reasons not to like them, but they are very worthy competition - up to the point when the build a monopoly position in the marketplace (like Mexico).

Lafarge is upping their game. Now, we’ll see if the State of IL is an assist or a hindrance.

Comment by Judgment Day Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 4:21 pm
“To quote Rich Miller, ‘Bite me.’”

- Pat Quinn

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 5:00 pm
And how many millions did PQ promise for 100 jobs?

How did that money given to United pan out? When is the breakeven point?

Comment by Plutocrat03 Tuesday, Apr 17, 12 @ 6:19 pm
–Will be interesting to see if the teachers union does any protesting during the NATO summit next month with all the media here.–

I didn’t know the teachers were opposed to NATO. Commies.

Pluto, there’s no reason you should be so unhappy. Gas up the car, and you could be on the sunny shores of Lake Superior, selling frappacinos in Ashland, in a matter of hours.
We’re a very mobile society. Nothing’s holding you back. Go for it, dude.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 18, 12 @ 7:33 am