Niles-Based AFN Logistics Opens Chicago Office to Attract Tech Talent

AFN Logistics, headquartered in Niles, Ill., announced Monday that it has opened a new downtown Chicago office that can hold up to 70 employees.

The office, at 101 N. Wacker Drive, is designed to help attract younger tech talent and be a convenient meeting location for the company’s customers, carriers and partners. AFN, founded in 2003, provides customized supply chain solutions to major manufacturers.

It said the second office will help accommodate the 85 new people it plans to hire this year. AFN currently employs nearly 250.

“Chicago is a booming transportation and technology hub, and as AFN continues to grow our already strong presence in the city, we want to ensure our offices are perfectly situated for Chicago’s hotbed of logistics and technology talent,” said Lisa Watkins, AFN’s vice president of talent, in a statement.

Like many other tech companies looking to recruit and retain talent, AFN has beefed up their new downtown office with useful and fun amenities. The company says the office has a gym, kitchen, ping pong table and arcade-style basketball hoops.

AFN is just the latest Chicago-area tech company that’s opened a downtown office to complement or replace its suburban headquarters. In 2015, in-flight internet provider Gogo moved its offices from Itasca to the West Loop. And just in June, online grocery company Peapod also moved its headquarters to the West Loop from Skokie.