Robotics manufacturer moving North American headquarters from Illinois to Wisconsin

An industrial robotics manufacturer is moving its North American headquarters from Illinois to Wisconsin as part of a consolidation that’s expected to create more than 700 new jobs.

Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday that Yaskawa America Inc. plans to invest $180 million to consolidate its Illinois and Wisconsin facilities into one campus in Franklin. The plan includes moving the company’s headquarters from Waukegan, Illinois, to Franklin.

According to the governor’s office, the 800,000-square-foot campus will include a headquarters, training and lab building, as well as manufacturing and packaging facilities.

As part of the expansion, Yaskawa will begin manufacturing robots in Franklin. The company purchased a more than 200,000-square-foot building in Franklin in 2023 for $20 million. The site was previously used by a packaging company.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is supporting the project with up to $18 million dollars in tax credits. Officials say the amount of credits awarded will be contingent upon hitting job creation and investment targets.

In a statement, Gov. Tony Evers said the expansion would bring millions of dollars of investment and hundreds of “high-quality” jobs to southeast Wisconsin.

“Companies from across the globe are choosing Wisconsin to grow and expand because they know we have the best workers making the best products,” Evers stated. “Wisconsin is continuing to strengthen our position as a leader in advanced manufacturing, and we’re glad to help support this expansion.”

Missy Hughes, secretary of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., said in a statement the company is the “perfect fit” for Wisconsin because of its emphasis on advanced manufacturing and technology. She also said Yaskawa joins a “growing roster” of global companies choosing to grow in the Badger State.

The news comes as Yaskawa America’s parent company, the Yaskawa Electric Corp., celebrates its 110th anniversary. Officials said Yaskawa America produces industrial robots, motion control products, air conditioning drives and solar inverters.

Mike Knapek, chief executive of Yaskawa America, said in a statement the company was proud to unify its Wisconsin and Illinois manufacturing and office operations into one campus.

“We take pride in our cutting-edge technology, our commitment to quality, and our world-class manufacturing, and we look forward to a strong future of growth and innovation in Franklin,” Knapek said.

Franklin Mayor John Nelson said the city has had a positive relationship working with Yaskawa to develop the company’s vision for what will become its Franklin Business Park.

“Yaskawa has been a wonderful community partner, and we are grateful they selected Franklin for this project,” he said.

In addition to the city, regional economic development group Milwaukee 7 also helped the company choose to consolidate and expand in Wisconsin, officials said.

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