Gill Athletics expanding

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/ ... yees_today

Gill Athletics to announce expansion plan to employees today
By Don Dodson
Wednesday September 3, 2008


A drawing of planned expansion of the Gill Athletics/Porter Athletic building at 601 Mercury Drive, C.
CHAMPAIGN – Gill Athletics is expected to announce an expansion in Champaign today as the result of plans to move its Porter Athletic division here.

Company President and Chief Executive David Hodge said he plans to outline expansion plans to employees in Champaign this morning.

On Tuesday, he told employees at Porter Athletic in Broadview that Gill plans to consolidate those operations in Champaign's Apollo Industrial Subdivision within the next year and a half.

"Our management team won't have to worry about running two different locations 150 miles apart," Hodge said. "We cut and weld and paint metals that go into different sports equipment, so there's a commonalty in the manufacturing process."

Porter's relocation is expected to begin in early 2009 and not be completed until early 2010. The company is offering Porter employees bonuses to relocate in Champaign, but Hodge said that, realistically, it's likely only 20 to 25 of the workers will accept.

Jobs not taken by the Broadview workers will be available to local applicants, Hodge said.

"If 15 decided to move, there will be 70 jobs in the area that need to be filled," he said.

More information about job applications will appear on the Gill Athletics Web site, www.gillathletics.com.

Gill Athletics, founded in 1918, is the world's oldest and largest manufacturer of track-and-field equipment. It recently supplied vaulting poles, javelins and discuses for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The company acquired Porter Athletic Equipment in 2006. That company is considered a leader in the gymnasium- equipment market, supplying basketball backboards as well as other equipment.

"Porter is in a very competitive market," Hodge said Tuesday in a phone interview from the Chicago suburb of Broadview. "We tried to make a go of it here, but there are such synergies between the two companies that we can't walk away from that. This will make the companies run the most efficiently."

Specifically, Gill will be able to combine research and development, engineering, customer service, manufacturing and distribution, he said.

Besides offering bonuses to those willing to move to Champaign, Gill is also offering bonuses to employees to stay as long as they're needed in Broadview, Hodge said.

"Our priority is to maintain the service and quality of our customers and dealers throughout this transition," said John Carlson, Gill's vice president of manufacturing. "We are confident in our people in both locations to execute a flawless move."

Steve Vogelsang, the company's vice president of sales and marketing, said combining the two brands at one location will allow for "sales and customer service center enhancements" that will benefit customers and dealers.

Already, site work has begun for the new addition to the factory and office in Champaign, which will be adjacent to the current plant at 2808 Gemini Court, C.

"We're thrilled for them," said Mark Dixon, director of commercial real estate for the Atkins Group, which developed the Apollo industrial park. "They've had a strategic plan, and we're happy they're meeting all their objectives.

"It's exciting because it means more employment for the area," he added. "We hope it bodes well for the future of both Gill and Porter."

Dixon said the Gill Athletics expansion will virtually complete the first phase of the industrial park.

Gill Sports leases the 175,000-square-foot building in Broadview – a former Dial soap plant – but doesn't use all the space, Hodge said.

"The factory is the right size, but there's a huge office complex we use a only a portion of," he said, noting that the lease in Broadview expires in 22 months.

Hodge said the news didn't seem to come as much of a surprise to the employees in Broadview.

"They kind of figured it was the logical move to make," he said. "They were hopeful we would leave it here" in Broadview.

[GiVaulter09]

does this mean anything for poles?

[PVJunkie]

NO, The pole room will stay right where it is. Porter Athletics (owned by Gill Athletics) is moving to Champaign.