SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — January 7, 2026 — An international crane manufacturing company is establishing its first U.S. manufacturing operation in Springfield, positioning the city as a new hub for advanced industrial equipment production and creating the potential for more than 100 new jobs over the next several years.
REEL USA Corp., a subsidiary of France-based REEL Group, is renovating a 65,800-square-foot industrial facility at 3501 W. Mayflower Blvd. on Springfield’s west side, which will serve as the company’s U.S. headquarters and primary manufacturing site.
In addition to production and assembly roles, the Springfield operation will support a wide range of professional positions, including information technology, engineering, human resources, marketing, and sales.
“We will have jobs in information technology, human resources, engineering, marketing and sales,” said Dominic Jolicoeur, vice president of North American operations for REEL USA Corp.
REEL specializes in the custom design, manufacturing, and installation of industrial electromechanical lifting devices used across multiple sectors, including aerospace, hydroelectric power, nuclear energy, aluminum and steel production, cement manufacturing, automotive, and bulk material handling.
Jolicoeur said Springfield’s central location played a key role in the site selection.
“Hydroelectric plants are mostly in the western United States and nuclear power plants are more on the East Coast, so we wanted to locate somewhere in the middle,” he said. “Illinois has more nuclear power plants than any other state, and we expect that industry to continue to grow in the United States.”
The REEL Group is headquartered in Lyon, France, and operates 57 locations worldwide with more than 3,000 employees. While REEL USA Corp. currently maintains a sales office in Mobile, Alabama, the Springfield facility will become the company’s largest U.S. presence.
The company purchased the Mayflower Boulevard property last month for $1.6 million, according to Sangamon County records. The site sits on more than nine acres and previously housed Howden Fan Co., which closed in 2003.
According to the City of Springfield, REEL has already secured a $430,000 remodeling permit, with O’Shea Builder serving as general contractor. Modular buildings are currently on site to temporarily house management while renovations are underway.
“They wanted to have the office staff in place in January and then start the retrofit of the building so they could move forward,” said Matthew McLaughlin, project manager with the city’s Department of Public Works.
REEL is starting operations with approximately 10 local employees and expects to grow its workforce beyond 100 jobs within the next two to three years, though final employment levels for 2026 have not yet been determined.
Importantly, the company is not receiving any taxpayer-funded incentives to locate in Springfield.
Ryan McCrady, president and CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, said the project represents a significant win for the region.
“Manufacturing jobs typically have a strong multiplier effect,” McCrady said. “For every new manufacturing job, you often see the support of three additional jobs in the community through supply chains and related services.”
McCrady also noted the announcement reflects a positive reversal of long-term manufacturing job losses in the region and highlights the importance of foreign direct investment.
“Large industrial crane manufacturing is not something we currently have in our community,” he said. “Bringing in a new industry and a new skill set strengthens our manufacturing base and positions Springfield for additional investment.”
He added that Springfield already has a solid manufacturing foundation, including employers such as Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, Nudo Products, and Mel-O-Cream Donuts International, and that REEL’s decision could help attract additional manufacturers.
“Economic development has a snowball effect,” McCrady said. “One successful investment often leads to others. This is a big step forward for Springfield.”
