Over the past year, Chicago has secured several high-profile corporate relocations, including ConAgra, ADM, McDonald's, Motorola Solutions, and GE Healthcare. Today, the city powers up with one more.
This morning, Duracell, the world's largest battery-maker, announced that it's opening an Executive Office in Chicago, bringing 65 jobs to the city. The company will maintain its global research facility and headquarters in Bethel, Connecticut. Duracell employs approximately 2,700 employees worldwide.
According to the company, Duracell is coming to Chicago for a variety of reasons, including the city's thriving business ecosystem, its central location, and the quality of life for employees. The new office will be located at 181 W. Madison, in the loop.
"With this move, Duracell is making their future part of Chicago’s future," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement. "Duracell’s commitment to Chicago speaks volumes about their confidence in Chicago. As a company that relies on innovative research and development, I am confident Duracell will continue to grow and thrive in a city that is leading the way on 21st-century innovation.”
In March, Duracell was officially bought by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathawy, an acquisition that was first announced in Novemeber, 2014, and made private. Previously, Duracell was owned by Proctor & Gambell as a result of the former's acquisition of Gillette in 2005.
The move to Chicago has been rumored for months, with job postings teasing the relocation appearing online as early as February. In one of the early listings, Durcell said that, as part of the move, it would be "building out its corporate and strategic functions and looking for key talent across multiple functions."
While Duracell will continue to maintain its reputation as the global leader in battery manufacturing, the company also aims to transform more into a "personal power company," identifying and expanding into new growth categories, such as rechargeables.
Explained Duracell CEO Angelo Pantaleo, “Duracell is in an exciting period in our company’s history. As we look ahead, we will continue to build on our rich past and strong foundation to transform the world’s number-one battery maker into the world’s number-one personal power company. We are pleased to lead that effort from the great city of Chicago, where the city’s business ecosystem, talent, quality of life and far-reaching global connections are first class.”
(This post has been updated to reflect that Duracell is moving its Executive Office to Chicago, not its headquarters)
(Image via Duracell)
