JOLIET, Ill. -- Hyundai Translead yesterday announced plans to increase its investment in its new Illinois manufacturing operations to $600 million and expand its job commitment to 3,750 full-time positions.
In March, Hyundai Translead said it would invest more than $450 million to establish two advanced manufacturing facilities in Will County, creating 2,500 full-time jobs.
Now the company plans to add a third production shift, a $150 million investment, and 1,250 jobs beyond the company’s original commitment.
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, and wholly owned by Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Translead makes van trailers, specifically dry and refrigerated van trailers, flatbeds, truck bodies and dollies.
The Illinois expansion is part of the company’s broader strategy to strengthen its North American manufacturing network through sustainable growth, operational efficiency and proximity to customers. The two facilities will support the company’s core operations while providing flexibility for additional product lines and future expansion.
Hyundai Translead will retrofit two existing facilities: the former sites of Caterpillar’s heavy equipment operations and Lion Electric’s electric bus operations.
To support Hyundai's investment, a new Manufacturing Training Academy (MTA) at Joliet Junior College (JJC) is being established to strengthen the regional workforce development pipeline. The MTA will expand JJC’s ability to train industrial maintenance and advanced manufacturing technicians and double its welding capacity.
As part of a comprehensive incentive package, Hyundai Translead is part of the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit Program, an incentive offered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. It encourages companies to expand or relocate in Illinois when they are actively considering a competing site in another state.
So far in 2026, companies participating in the EDGE program have committed to creating 6,000 new jobs and nearly $2.8 billion in investments.
The automaker has vast U.S. expansion plans. Earlier this month, fellow Hyundai subsidiary, Hyundai Transys, which specializes in powertrain and seating systems, announced a $560 million investment to expand its manufacturing capabilities in West Point, Georgia. The company expects the project to create 320 jobs.
