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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Personal Care Products Manufacturer, Method, To Establish Facility On Chicago’s Southside

03/04/2014
A firm that produces home, fabric and personal care products formulated with naturally-derived, biodegradable ingredients, Method with locate its manufacturing facility on Chicago, Illinois’ Southside, in the City’s Pullman neighborhood. The new facility is expected to bring nearly 100 new jobs to the Windy City.

“Building our world-class factory is an important evolution in our company’s growth and we hope it serves as a model of what manufacturing and urban revitalization looks like in the 21st century,” said Drew Fraser, CEO of Method. “We aim to show that sustainable business is better business by creating an advanced, flexible and cost-effective facility that will fuel both the growth of our business and the renewal of the Pullman area.”

Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the plant features a refurbished 230 foot wind turbine will generate a significant portion of the plant’s energy. The turbine, combined with the solar energy from solar panels in the parking lot and on the building, will provide approximately half of the facility’s annual electrical needs. Method also plans to have a functional roof with urban agriculture to benefit the local community. Five of the 22 acres Method occupies will house buildings while the remaining acreage will remain as greenery that Method maintains. A sidewalk will be built around the facility, instead of a fence, and only native trees and perennials will be planted.

“We have built Method to be the business of tomorrow, aligning our interest as a business with the interest of society and the environment so that the bigger we get, the more good we do,” said Adam Lowry, Co-founder and chief-greenskeeper of Method. “Our plant is the next step in this journey and we’re incredibly grateful to the City of Chicago and State of Illinois for their partnership and support in bringing this vision to life.”

Construction on the facility is expected to continue throughout the year, with the facility expected to open in early 2015. The facility will include the manufacturing and bottling of formulas for both Method and its sister eco-cleaning brand, Ecover, as well as an on-site distribution center.

“The City of Chicago continues to attract companies looking to access our highly skilled workforce, transportation system and diverse business climate,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Method choosing to build their state-of the-art manufacturing facility in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood is a major economic investment for the south side of the City. Method has made a significant commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability and I am proud they will open their doors in Chicago.”

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