Growth Dimensions for Belvidere-Boone County is pleased to announce today that the Chrysler Group LLC Belvidere Assembly Plant project has received State recognition by being a recipient of the 2012 Edie (Economic Development in Illinois) Award. The annual award is given jointly by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Development Council (IDC) to recognize significant economic development projects finished in the prior year throughout Illinois.  

Belvidere Assembly Plant- Chrysler Group LLC Project Description

In November 2009, the newly formed Fiat-managed Chrysler Group LLC announced that they could not promise that future models would be produced at the Belvidere Assembly Plant after 2012. That decision needed to be assessed on a competitive basis.

Growth Dimensions and the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity worked with other local and state resources to ensure the future of the Belvidere plant. By the end of 2010, Chrysler had announced construction of a 638,000 square foot addition to the plant and a $600 million investment to expand the plant and prepare it for production of future vehicles. The state committed to providing a $62.1 million business investment package to save 1,950 permanent jobs and generate 700,000 construction hours. Governor Quinn helped to pass and signed legislation into law in December 2009 to expand the EDGE tax credit to benefit the auto industry, which was critical to Chrysler's decision to stay and expand in Illinois.

The project resulted in retaining the operation of seven parts suppliers (six located in Belvidere and one in Sycamore) representing 1,400 jobs in total. During the project period, four additional parts suppliers made investments in Belvidere. These four additional suppliers added another 500 jobs. Chrysler Group recently announced that the original $600 million investment had increased to $700 million and that the plant would add 1,800 jobs by the third quarter of 2012, which includes nearly 500 for production of the all-new Dodge Dart. In total, the Belvidere Assembly Plant is expected to be operating with 4,500 employees by third quarter this year.

"The economy is recovering slowly but surely and more and more companies are out there investing in our state and creating jobs," said Doug Whitley, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. "The Chamber is proud to be working with the IDC to recognize some of the exciting developments that were completed across the state."

The Illinois Chamber and IDC believe it's important to showcase recent accomplishments, especially when they translated into more jobs, tax base and economic vitality in Illinois.

The other Edie Award recipients included a produce distribution operation in Chicago, a new Navistar headquarters in Lisle, a new steel plant in Chicago and an artisan shop in Atlanta, Illinois.

"These companies and the local economic development teams are in the trenches across the state, creating jobs and investing in our communities," said Kim Uhlig, chairman of the Illinois Development Council and business development director at the Morton Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council. "These successful projects are too often overlooked and we wanted to take a moment and reinforce the notion that economic development like this is central to keeping our state vibrant and healthy."

The Illinois Chamber and IDC asked for nominations from across the state for projects completed in 2011. An awards committee reviewed the nominees and determined which projects were worthy of an Edie Award. The Edies will be formally presented at the Illinois Chamber's annual meeting in Chicago on June 8th. The five winners of the 2012 Edie Award are as diverse as Illinois' economy.

The Illinois Chamber and Illinois Development Council Give "Edies" to Honor Those Who Imagine, Design, Invest, Build and Bring Jobs, Growth and Prosperity to Illinois Communities

*Information provided by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce