Kankakee Times

Lion Electric Company and Sen. Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) recently revealed the construction of a U.S. manufacturing facility in Will County that will add hundreds of jobs to the regional economy.

Lion Electric will invest $70 million in the facility, and the building will create 750 new jobs and produce 20,000 electric vehicles every year. 

"I am pleased to welcome Lion Electric to Will County, as it will add to our state’s industry-leading capabilities," Joyce said in a May 7 Facebook post. "This facility will allow us to increase our contribution to the local economy and provide employment opportunities in our community."

The building is expected to be completed by the end of 2022, which will help stimulate the Joliet economy. 

"We're bringing green jobs, selling a product that creates a healthier environment for workers, for students, for passengers and communities across this great country," Nate Baguio, Lion Electric vice president of sales, told ABC7 Chicago.

Lion Electric anticipates beginning the hiring process soon and is the largest production plant of its kind, totaling 900,000 square feet. 

"This is a big deal," Gov. J.B. Pritzker told ABC7 News. "Let me start with the fact that these are, we talk about solid manufacturing jobs in an industry that is growing and in a company that is growing like Lion Electric at the rate that it's growing, this present enormous opportunity."

Illinois allocated $7.9 million in incentives for investments and jobs, and Lion Electric thought that easy access to highways and rail were among the reasons for choosing the site in Joliet.