Mayor Rahm Emanuel today joined the Flex-N-Gate Corporation to announce the company is opening a manufacturing facility that will create hundreds of jobs on the South Side of Chicago. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois, the project will convert an existing warehouse facility into a modern automotive operation that will serve automakers, including the Chicago Ford Assembly Plant, and generate nearly 300 new manufacturing jobs.

“We are seeing a manufacturing renaissance in Chicago and today Flex-N-Gate is building on that momentum,” Mayor Emanuel said. “This new facility will create hundreds of new full-time jobs, bring tens of millions of dollars in new investments, and strengthen Chicago’s manufacturing ecosystem for generations to come.”

“The U.S. automotive industry is strong, and that’s also true here today in my beloved state of Illinois and in the great City of Chicago,” Khan said. “We fully anticipate that our future operation here will be a difference-maker for Flex-N-Gate, Ford Motor Company, the automotive industry and workers here in the Chicago area. None of it would be possible, however, without our shared vision and efficient collaboration with industry and public officials. Today’s announcement is proof that when everyone determines to work together, we can create great things and excellent jobs.”

Flex-N-Gate, with its global headquarters located in Urbana, Ill., was named in the most recent Automotive News industry rankings as the 10th-largest original equipment supplier in North America and the 38th largest supplier in the world. Flex-N-Gate employs more than 23,000 people at 62 manufacturing facilities and nine product development and engineering facilities throughout Canada, the United States, China, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France and Spain. Flex-N-Gate’s major product lines include complete bumper assemblies, mechanical assemblies, exterior plastic trim, aluminum and steel modular stamped body-in-white and chassis assemblies, and complex welded structural assemblies for the light vehicle market.

Flex-N-Gate will begin its lease of the 288,000 square foot-facility in January 2018.  The facility was leased and is managed my CBRE. Conversion of the space will occur throughout the year, with the first quarter of 2019 targeted for the start of operation.

Highlights of the partnership between Flex-N-Gate, the State of Illinois and City of Chicago include:

• Flex-N-Gate and the State of Illinois entered into a 10-year EDGE (Economic Development for a Growing Economy) partnership that will provide Flex-N-Gate various tax credits and abatements over the term of the agreement.
• Flex-N-Gate will agree to hire at least 286 full-time employees over the next three years and invest at least $30 million into the facility (lease and machinery) over the next 10 years.
• The State and City will both offer workforce training funds via the Illinois Department of Commerce and the City of Chicago, respectively.

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