The Kane County Jobs Committee on Sept. 12 adopted a resolution recognizing October as Manufacturing Month and heard industry and staff updates about workforce training, a local manufacturer expansion and plans to form a task force to streamline permitting.
The resolution and accompanying remarks highlighted manufacturing’s local economic footprint and county-supported workforce efforts.
Committee member David Young read the resolution and moved its adoption. The committee approved the measure on a recorded vote, with the measure passing by a clear majority.
Kathy Gilmore, president of the Valley Industrial Association and president of the Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, told the committee the associations work to connect students and employers by arranging plant tours and career programming. “The best way to engage the youth … is by getting them inside of a factory,” Gilmore said, adding that tours and hands-on exposure can steer students into skilled trades and technical careers without four-year college debt.
County staff and partners reported results from an ARPA-supported program run with IMEC (Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center) and partners. Chris Telt, a county staff presenter, said the Lighthouse Manufacturing initiative supported 52 manufacturers and reported 556 jobs retained and 326 jobs projected to be created; staff also said participating companies reported process improvements and training for more than 300 workers.
In a separate staff update, officials highlighted a private-sector expansion: Richardson Electronics (described in packet materials as a local manufacturer) received an award from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles (REV) tax-credit program. The company’s project was described in staff comments as an $8.5 million expansion in an unincorporated part of Kane County that would retain about 190 employees and add roughly 54 jobs; county staff said the project will proceed through county permitting and inspection for stormwater and building.
Members discussed an ad hoc task force to identify regulatory or permitting steps that may slow or deter manufacturers from locating or expanding in the county. Committee members described two broad issues that emerged from interviews with businesses: state-level tax policy (outside county authority) and local permitting speed and predictability. The committee asked staff to consolidate interviews and compare practices used by other counties and jurisdictions, and to return with suggested membership and scope for a red-tape reduction task force.
The committee also discussed practical outreach steps such as hosting employer tours for members and coordinating attendance at regional manufacturing trade shows to promote Kane County employers and sites.
The resolution will move to the executive committee for placement on a future consent agenda, and staff said they will circulate links to upcoming partner events that showcase program outcomes.