By WMBD TV
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Komatsu had a lot to smile about Wednesday as they celebrated the opening of their new $28 million surface haulage and mining headquarters in Peoria.
This three-story, 75,000 square-foot building has been added to the Komatsu campus on Northwest Adams Street, but it will not add any additional jobs said Dan Funcannon, Komatsu’s senior vice president of surface haulage.
“This project in itself did not lead to more staff, but our business is strong, the mining business is strong for the most part. So, we’ll continue to invest not just in today’s business but in the future business overall. We think that mining has a long-term, strong future,” he said.
City Manager Patrick Urich noted Peoria’s manufacturing roots, saying it’s the “heart” of what Central Illinois is about.
“As you drive up and down Adams Street every day, and you see the commitment that Komatsu is making to this facility with one of the largest mining trucks standing out in front of the entrance to the facility, you see that commitment,” he said.
The ceremony also heralded the opening of a new Customer Experience Center, which will offer the public a glimpse into the company’s past. Urich also said that’s a bonus.
“The customer experience is very important as well, and so, it’s just nice to see that this investment is being made in our community,” Urich said.
About a third of the workforce here in Peoria is housed in the new building. Komatsu also has showcased its massive mining trucks, the 400-ton 980E-5SE, at the entrance to its Peoria operations.
Surface haulage equipment, such as forklifts and haul trucks, carries large amounts of surface material, such as dirt, sand, and rocks, during mining.
Mark Denzler, the CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, said this was a big win for Illinois and especially for Peoria.
“Future generations will work here, and they will make products that move around the world globally,” he said. “[Komatsu] is reinvesting in Peoria, Illinois, which is a great thing.”
WMBD TV first reported on this story. You can read the original story online at CIProud.com.
