Premier Design + Build breaks ground to expand manufacturing facility for Sumitomo

Premier Design + Build Group has broken ground on a building expansion project for Sumitomo Drive Technologies in Glendale Heights, Illinois.

The work is designed to meet the evolving needs of the client, whose Midwest-manufactured products are in high demand from customers across a range of industries.

The company’s Glendale Heights location is used for light manufacturing of gearmotors, also known as “speed reducers”. Gearmotors are designed to regulate the speed at which motors run to match the speed needed for a customer’s application.

The gearmotors produced by Sumitomo Drive Technologies are used in many industries including auto assembly, grain handling, water treatment, wood milling, and parcel handling. Sumitomo Drive Technologies is part of Sumitomo Heavy Industries.

The manufacturer’s need to scale up its production capabilities is an interesting outgrowth of its long-term strategy. Prior to 2020, Sumitomo Drive Technologies made a commitment to investing in manufacturing within the United States.

In the face of the challenges of the past several years, many of the company’s competitors were forced to shut down or severely reduce operations at overseas production facilities. Sumitomo Drive Technologies, however, was able to continue production in the Midwest, and demand for its products grew significantly.

Sumitomo Drive Technologies selected Premier to manage design + build services for the expansion of its existing facility, which is located at 175 W. Lake Drive within the Glendale Lakes Business Park. When complete, the building will have approximately 82,000 square feet with a 28’ clear height.

In addition to more than doubling the existing footprint, Premier’s team will create a state-of-the art, fully modular crane building allowing seamless integration between assembly and distribution.

The work includes installing new docks and doors, adding on-site parking, and updating landscaping. The building improvements will allow the firm to increase inventory space and offer a broader product line from its Midwest location. It will also improve lead times, operational efficiencies, and safety.

Premier’s Michael Long, senior vice president in the firm’s Midwest division, says: “We’re honored to have been chosen as the design-builder for this Sumitomo Drive Technologies assignment.

“They approached us with an interesting challenge, and we used our expertise to develop a solution designed to help them accomplish every one of the objectives they have established.”

Working with Long on the assignment is project manager Stefan Olson. Premier’s project partners include Cornerstone Architects for architectural design and SpaceCo for civil engineering.

Eduardo Plata, corporate project manager for Sumitomo Machinery Corporation of America, says: “Michael Long and the Premier team have already proven themselves to be such an incredible asset.

“We’re so thankful to have found a project partner that is so knowledgeable and will guide us through this process and always look out for our best interests.”

Long says: “Reimagining and reshaping facilities to meet our clients’ evolving needs is the kind of challenge the team at Premier loves to take on.

“This is a client that was uniquely positioned to grow their business, and we’re excited to help them create a new home in which to continue that success.”

The project kicked off late last month with a groundbreaking, which included local officials and several Sumitomo Drive Technologies executives who traveled to Illinois from Japan to participate in the celebration.

As part of the kickoff, Sumitomo Drive Technologies and Premier presented the nearby Glen Ellyn Food Pantry with a $5,000 donation to help fund its work across DuPage County.