The Jeld-Wen window and door manufacturing plant in Rantoul is set to receive a boost with the addition of 200 new jobs. This comes as a result of the closure of a facility in Hawkins, Wisconsin, with the company consolidating its wood window production into the Champaign County plant.
Caryn Klebba, head of global public relations for Jeld-Wen, stated that the consolidation is expected to be completed by the end of August. The decision to move production to Rantoul was influenced by the facility’s capacity to add more lines, as well as the availability of a larger workforce compared to the Hawkins location.
Employees from the Wisconsin plant are encouraged to apply for positions at the Rantoul factory, where starting pay will be $21.50 an hour. The company has also reached out to other employers in the Hawkins area to inform them of the availability of Jeld-Wen workers.
Plant manager Justin Thompson expressed optimism about the opportunity for growth at the Rantoul site, noting that additional production, quality, maintenance, and shipping positions will be added. Equipment and materials will be transferred from Wisconsin to Rantoul in preparation for the ramp-up of operations over the next five months.
This move is part of Jeld-Wen’s transformation journey to streamline and modernize its facilities while meeting customer demands. The Rantoul plant, originally opened in 1976 by Caradco and acquired by Jeld-Wen in 1997, is poised to become a hub for wood window production in the region.