Manufacturer Relocating Headquarters Operations To N.J.

With manufacturing plants in New Jersey, Wisconsin and Arkansas, RathGibson announced it is moving some of its headquarters operations from Lincolnshire, Ill., to the North Branch section of Branchburg.

CEO Mark Essig announced the Lincolnshire office will close Dec. 31, stating “having a corporate office separated from our plants is a bad situation for our company.”

“It makes no sense to house managers in suburban Chicago when we make tubes in Wisconsin, New Jersey and Arkansas,” Essig said in a statement. “Our mission is to make the highest-quality tubes in the world, and present a great value to our customers. Executive offices in Chicago don’t help accomplish either goal.”

Other executive functions will be sent to the company’s Janesville, Wis., plant. The company produces stainless steel, nickel and specialty alloy tubing for multiple industries.

Bob Loderstedt, president and CEO of the New Jersey Manufacturers Extension Program, agreed with Essig’s assessment.

“You’ve got the staff folks closer to the line folks,” Loderstedt said. “It makes it so much easier that you’re not dealing with folks in North Branch talking with folks just outside of Chicago.”

Loderstedt said he’s looking forward to having the RathGibson executive team in New Jersey. NJMEP is currently working with the company on a work force training grant from the state Labor Department, and Loderstedt said he wouldn’t be surprised if the company applied for more as it expands its footprint here.

“There will be some level of persons that we now get to engage in conversations,” Loderstedt. “That will ideally lead to more growth and more employees. I think it’s great for the state, I think it’s great for manufacturing.”

Click here to view the original article published by NJ.com.