New Corporate Headquarters Expected to Bring More Than 1,000 Jobs to State
PLEASANT PRAIRIE – Governor Jim Doyle today announced a financial assistance package worth over $6 million to help ULINE build a new distribution center and bring more than 1,000 jobs to southeastern Wisconsin. ULINE, the nation’s leading distributor of industrial, packing and shipping materials, will move its headquarters from Waukegan, Illinois to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
“ULINE is a rapidly growing company that is known worldwide for its quality products and I’m delighted to welcome them to Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “Wisconsin has so many great assets – outstanding schools and communities, a history of innovation, the hardest working people anywhere in the world, and a quality of life that is second to none. We have grown Wisconsin by making it the premier place in the world for manufacturers, agricultural producers, and new economy businesses looking to start or expand their operations.”
Governor Doyle announced that the ULINE site has been designated as an Enterprise Zone enabling the company to earn up to $1.7 million annually in refundable income tax credits based on payroll by creating jobs that pay more than $30,000 per year. ULINE can also receive training funds up to $1.5 million. Governor Doyle also announced that the state will provide a $1 million Transportation Economic Assistance grant, and Kenosha Area Business Alliance will provide a $2 million forgivable loan to support the project.
ULINE is investing about $100 million to relocate its corporate headquarters and construct a new distribution center in Pleasant Prairie. The company will move 650 employees from its Illinois facility to the new facility and will hire and additional 350 new employees. The project involves new construction of a state-of-the-art campus with full amenities. The distribution center will be one million square feet. The headquarters will be 200,000 square feet and house the corporate officers and personnel in marketing, information technology, merchandising and finance. The campus will be located just west of Interstate 94 and south of Route 165.
“Both Liz’s family and my family have roots in Wisconsin,” said Dick Uihlein, CEO of ULINE. “Liz’s cousins, the Hanson Family, have been long time residents of Mellen. My relatives, the Uihleins, have played an important role in Milwaukee’s history. Liz and I have a home and restaurant in Manitowish Waters where we enjoy the fishing, hunting, hiking, and the beautiful outdoors that make Wisconsin so unique. We are pleased to be continuing this tradition with the move of our corporate headquarters to Pleasant Prairie.”
ULINE was founded in 1980 by Dick and Liz Uihlein in the basement of their home. Today, the company has grown to over 2,300 employees with eight branch locations across North America. The company is a leading provider of shipping supplies to businesses throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. ULINE is known for their world class customer service and for delivering orders with unparalleled speed and accuracy. The ULINE Midwest Distribution Center in Illinois will remain open.
