Manufacturer Bringing 500+ Jobs to Hobart

Wynright says increased demand led to the expansion.

An Illinois-based manufacturer is moving two manufacturing operations from Illinois to Indiana, with plans to create up to 582 jobs in Hobart by the end of 2021. Wynright Corp., which makes intelligent material handling systems, says it will invest $26 million to build and equip a facility at the NorthWind Crossings business park. Parent company Daifuku North America says the move puts the operations under one roof in a location that’s able to handle future growth.

The manufacturer plans to break ground this fall and begin production at the Hobart facility by the end of 2019. Wynright expects to fill administrative, engineering and manufacturing positions locally. It says increased demand has led to the need to expand.

The company’s headquarters and administrative office will remain in Elk Grove, Illinois.

Wynright’s equipment is designed to help companies build efficiencies into their facilities and improve productivity. The company also has operations in California, Texas, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Michigan and Florida. Michigan-based Daifuku Wynright and Daifuku North America are subsidiaries of Daifuku Co. Ltd. in Osaka, Japan.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Wynright up to $6 million in conditional tax credits and training grants based on the job creation plans. The city of Hobart and NIPSCO have also approved incentives. The state says nearly 300 Japanese businesses have operations in Indiana, accounting for around 65,000 Hoosier jobs.