A new corporate headquarters is arriving in Illinois after cereal and snack food giant, Kellogg, announced that it will move its corporate headquarters to Chicago.

Kellogg produces cereal and convenience foods, including crackers and toaster pastries, and markets their products by several well-known brands including Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, Pringles, Eggo, and Cheez-It.

In 1894, Company founder, W. K. Kellogg, was assisting his brother in research aimed at improving the vegetarian diet of the sanitarium patients in Battle Creek, Michigan. This led to the invention of Kelloggs’ most famous product, breakfast cereal corn flakes. One night, John Kellogg, W.K. Kellogg’s brother, left a batch of wheat-berry dough sitting out. Rather than throwing it out the next morning, he sent it through the rollers and was surprised to obtain delicate flakes, which could then be baked. W. K. Kellogg persuaded his brother to serve the food in flake form. Soon the flaked wheat was being packaged to meet hundreds of mail-order requests from guests after they left the Sanitarium. W. K. launched the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company on Feb. 19, 1906. Convincing his brother to relinquish rights to the product, Will's company produced and marketed the hugely successful Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes and was renamed the Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1909, taking on the current name of the Kellogg Company in 1922.

This week, the North American chocolate company Ferrero announced an expansion of its chocolate plant in Bloomington. Ferrero will invest up to $214.4 million in expanding its chocolate processing and production right here in Illinois.

The chocolate company announced its new expansion that will add 169,000 square feet to its current plant and is dedicated to producing Kinder Bueno, a popular Ferrero premium chocolate bar. This expansion hopes to bring more than 200 jobs to Bloomington within the next four years. Construction on the new plant will begin this fall and is expected to be complete in 2024.   

Ferrero, a business operating since 1946, has had a long history of producing sweets in the United States. Ferrero is famously known for their hazelnut spread Nutella. Throughout its years of operation, it has acquired companies and brands from Fannie May in Chicago, to Nestle plants for Baby Ruth and Butterfinger, and several others.

The new Kinder Bueno production facility is an expansion of the existing plant in the Ferrero Bloomington manufacturing center, which is also under an expansion process for the chocolate Crunch, 100Grand, Raisinets, and other Ferrero products.

Lake County is home to a beautiful forest preserve bordering Lake Michigan with a unique history.  When renowned landscape designer O.C. Simonds came up with the plans for the Fort Sheridan army base in 1889, he met both the military’s needs while also making breathtaking views of Lake Michigan a priority. The site of the historic U.S. Army post (1887–1993) holds national significance for its landscape and architecture design, and for the preparation and training of American soldiers for military service. In 1982, Fort Sheridan was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Secretary of the Interior. Fort Sheridan joins 2,540 sites across the country recognized as places that possess exceptional value and quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Currently, Ninety-four buildings at the Fort are designated National Historic Landmarks. The Fort was officially closed in 1993 and the land was transferred to the Lake County Forest Preserve.

A scenic destination, this forest preserve offers a variety of opportunities for recreation at the lakeshore. Fort Sheridan is one of only a few places in Lake County that offers free public access to Lake Michigan and an awe-inspiring lake overlook perched on a 70-foot-high bluff. Known for its pristine natural areas and excellent birdwatching, Fort Sheridan is home to several rare species not found elsewhere in the region. The preserve's savanna, ravines and lakefront location allow visitors to observe one of North America’s busiest flyways for migratory birds. At least 236 species of birds have been seen here.

Chicago is often recognized for its inviting nature of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and tourism. For nearly a decade, Site Selection Magazine, a publication that reports nationwide corporate development, has announced Chicago as the Top Tier 1 Metro. Tier 1 metros refers to metropolitan areas excelling in business growth while containing a population of more than one million people.

Competing with other large cities such as Dallas, Houston, and New York, Chicago came forward in 2021 with an astounding 441 business developments. These included expansions and relocations throughout the city. The Windy City beat its own 2016 record of 424 projects. According to the city, its 2021 number of corporate developments produced $2.8 billion in investments, 18,368 employment opportunities, and nearly 60 million square feet of corporate space.

Chicago has been making notable strides in getting ahead. Earlier this year, Forbes, an American business magazine, reviewed data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau and highlighted Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport’s first-time feat of achieving the title as the nation’s top port. This institution exceeded $300 billion in earnings in 2021.

Further, the Windy City became the nation’s most sought out destination for lease agreements of properties at or greater than one million square feet. Chicago’s Clean Tech Economic Coalition was acknowledged and selected by the U.S. Development Administration as a finalist for the 60 Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a grant-funded program encouraging its participants to develop effective strategies that may result in clean energy and carbon neutrality.

Chicago continues to work hard in expanding economic development projects. The recognition provided by Site Selection Magazine is most telling as Chicago has earned the title of Top Tier 1 Metro for the ninth consecutive year.

Illinois is the second in the nation in employment of machinist. Machinists are tradespeople that create precise parts from machining tools. Machinists are tasked with creating, repairing, or modifying objects that are usually made of metal.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois employs over 28,000 machinists, the only state that employees more is California. Illinois takes the lead in employment of machinists by area with Chicago, Naperville and Elgin having over 19,000 employees in the field. Rockford has the highest level of concentration of machinist jobs in the U.S.

Although they generally work with metals, they sometimes work with woods, glass, and plastics. When small parts are needed, machinists will manually set up the machine to make those pieces. For larger scale pieces Computer Numerically Controlled – or CNC – is used. CNC is equipment that is run by computers that cuts and shapes down metals to a desired size. While these pieces are being created the machinists pays close attention to it to make sure the machine is operating as expected. Once these pieces are cut down, they are inspected by engineers.

There are a variety of different types of machinists. There are machinists –known as production machinists – who specialize in a specific part. This machinist will produce large quantities of the same objects. Another common machinist is the automotive machinist, who operates on cars.

To become a machinist, one must have a high school diploma or GED. Once this is acquired, a person can learn how to be a machinist from a program through a trade school, apprenticeship, community college, or by getting an associate’s degree for it.

Machinists are essential workers who help people get the exact piece of equipment they need. Illinois is doing at a wonderful job at employing machinist and utilizing their services.