Panduit to uproot DeKalb operations to Indiana in 2025

DeKALB – Illinois-based Panduit will close its DeKalb warehouse and move that operation to Indiana in 2025, a company official told Shaw Local News Network.

The Tinley Park-based manufacturer of electrical infrastructure will uproot its roughly 600,000-square-foot DeKalb warehouse, 1700 E. Fairview Drive, around spring 2025, said Dawn Leach, global brand manager at Panduit.

Leach said the company’s leadership determined DeKalb is no longer in its longterm plans. She said the Indiana location was chosen because of its proximity to the company’s headquarters.

She said Panduit plans to support its employees in the transition.

“Unfortunately, as we have informed our DeKalb employees, this move will impact our team in DeKalb, with the current plan of workforce reductions occurring in stages as we get closer to the new warehouse being ready,” Leach said. “That said, we are committed to trying to put all of our impacted DeKalb team members in the best position possible under the circumstances, which includes providing them the opportunity to apply for roles at our other locations, including in Merrillville and the Chicago land area, and, if necessary, outplacement support.”

Panduit has been a longtime fixture in town located near the ChicagoWest Business Center having first opened its doors in August 1998. The location has seen a wave of new activity around it over the years, with major developments coming on line such as Meta, Amazon and Ferrara Candy.

The new Indiana warehouse and distribution center, once completed, is expected to open its doors at 425,000 square feet, with another 175,000 square feet for future expansion.

Leach said the decision was not made lightly.

“After evaluating different options, the company then made the difficult, but strategic decision to build a new-state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution center in Merrillville, Ind., USA,” Leach said. “This investment will improve our ability to meet the needs of our customers while maintaining a strategic presence in the Midwest.”

Leach said remaining in the city of DeKalb was not a viable option, according to the company.

“As Panduit continues to grow and upgrade its manufacturing capabilities, locations, and processes, we needed to ensure that our distribution network has the necessary technology and capabilities to match those growing needs,” Leach said. “As we assessed the DeKalb warehouse, we realized that it required a significant amount of updating and wouldn’t be able to meet our growing needs.