Autonomous and Electric Vehicles
Greater Peoria’s manufacturing prowess and experience are undeniable. Our regional workforce employed in the manufacturing industry is 24,500 people, which is 56% higher than the national average. Caterpillar’s R&D and major component manufacturing has been rooted here for nearly 100 years. What happens when that manufacturing excellence and experience meet innovation with steady guidance from sustainability policies? You get an ecosystem that is primed and ready to be the next autonomous and EV hub. With close linkages to Rivian, Caterpillar, Komatsu, John Deere, and the Lion Electric Co., Greater Peoria is the ideal location choice for your EV business – we are close to all your customers! Being in Greater Peoria allows you to access the Reimagining Electric Vehicles (REV) in Illinois Act which offers competitive incentives for EV companies to open or expand in Illinois.
Do you want to delve deeper into the budding EV industry in the Greater Peoria region and all the available resources? Download our Pitch Deck Below.
Greater Peoria’s history with manufacturing both developed and has been developed by a robust educational environment surrounding the industry. The education institutions have added to that by developing courses that are relevant to new-age manufacturing. From the world-renowned engineering department at Bradley University to numerous programs at multiple colleges and technical schools, we know how to develop a skilled manufacturing workforce ready to take on industry challenges today and in the future. Bradley University, Illinois Central College, and the Midwest Technical Institute-East Peoria are pillar institutions that train the region’s workforce in Automotive Body & Related Repairers, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, Chemical Engineers, Computer Engineering, Computer Science-related degrees, Electric Vehicle Technology, Electrical Engineer, Industrial Engineer, Machinists, Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Renewable Energy Skills, Software Engineers, Vehicle Technicians and Welding. Whatever your workforce needs are, we are ready to deliver!
Greater Peoria is home to the Central Illinois Living Laboratory, which makes the region a testing ground for high-tech mobility solutions to help shape the future of transportation and infrastructure. The Lab is a joint effort between Peoria County, the City of Peoria, Hanson Professional Services, and Distillery Labs and has been serving as a testing hub for CASE mobility solutions. The Lab aims to create a network for tech companies that will allow them to beta test products and solutions with focus areas including:
Sustainability is another area in which the region has incredible strengths. Between Natural Fiber Welding’s (NFW) mission to remove petroleum from the textile industry to Rivian, the electronic sport and utility vehicle manufacturer a mere 40 miles away, the region is leading the way in disruptive technologies that will help save our planet. These efforts are complemented by companies like Caterpillar and Komatsu, both exploring more earth-friendly solutions, and Ameren, which has committed to reaching a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. In addition to these industry giants, we have several local green initiatives that are leading the sustainability conversation. We have Better Earth Composting Services offering an earth-friendly trash alternative and companies like Pekin Insurance that have made public commitments to reduce environmental impact and waste. These private efforts, alongside the plant science research at the USDA Ag Lab, make sustainability a burgeoning cluster that will continue to grow and make a world impact from here in Greater Peoria.
Innovation and resilience are in Greater Peoria’s DNA. From the discovery of how to mass produce penicillin in World War II to the meteoric growth of Caterpillar Tractor Co. and NFW, a vegan leather alternative made from plant waste, we are a community of makers, tinkerers, and innovators, and we welcome any who want to operate in that space. Our ecosystem is supported by Distillery Labs, the region’s premier innovation space cultivating creative thinking, strategic collisions, and the businesses of the future. We also have The Nest, a co-working space provided by the Greater Peoria EDC to provide a shared workspace for traveling professionals, remote workers, and company innovators needing a place to create.
The Greater Peoria Manufacturing Network is a nimble ecosystem of companies that rapidly scales with all your manufacturing needs. The network offers a collective solution with a single point of contact to help you navigate your entire project — from design and fabrication to consulting and logistics. A complete supply chain of manufactured products and manufacturing services includes consulting, engineering, castings, machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, logistics, data solutions, and other technical support. Your business will be supported by this robust local expertise with a proven history in quality and delivery.
After manufacturing your quality goods utilizing a highly trained workforce, you are able to efficiently distribute throughout the world via our intermodal capabilities — by the river, air, road, and rail — and with the help of our well-established logistics and transportation industry.
If you want to learn more about our EV Ecosystem and how we can help you move your business here, reach out to us today.
