Recent Wins in Greater Peoria
The Greater Peoria region is on a roll. Over the past two years, global companies and long-time local employers have announced new projects, expansions, and relocations that are reshaping the regional economy. From advanced manufacturing to world-class healthcare, these investments are creating jobs, improving quality of life, and strengthening Greater Peoria’s position as a powerhouse in the heart of the Midwest.
Viridis Chemical moved its ethyl acetate production facility from Nebraska to South Peoria. As a leader in “green chemistry” and the only producer of acetate from renewable sources, Viridis is investing $24 million and creating 20–25 jobs in the region. (November 2025)
Damera Corporation, a Canadian transportation dealer and manufacturer, is siting its first U.S. factory in the Greater Peoria region. The project represents at least $31.5 million in investment and 90 jobs over the next four years to produce all-electric minibuses for the U.S. public transit market. (May 2025)
Epic Medical, a Singapore-based medical device developer and manufacturer, selected Pekin for its first U.S. factory. The company is investing $25 million and creating 100 jobs to manufacture and fill IV bags for the American healthcare market. (March 2025)
Bradley University is investing $25 million to completely transform Harper Hall, its signature residence hall on Main Street. The project replaces traditional dorm rooms with suite-style and single-room options, private in-suite bathrooms, study lounges, collaboration spaces, and wellness rooms. Construction begins this fall, with reopening set for fall 2028. The adjacent Wyckoff Hall will be removed to make way for green space, patio areas and a new entrance. The work is part of a broader campus transformation that also includes Williams Dining Hall, Olin Hall, Neumiller Hall and the Michel Student Center. (July 2026)
Morton Industries, a precision metal fabricator operating in the region since 1946, acquired a manufacturing facility at 2500 N. Main Street in East Peoria, closing on the purchase in June 2026. The site will dedicate 80,000 square feet to stainless steel production, including tubing for data center cooling and hydraulic systems. The company plans to hire 50 to 100 employees at the East Peoria location as part of roughly 200 hires across its facilities this year. (June 2026)
Midwest Bioprocessing Center Grows into New Home with $750K Expansion
Pearl Insurance is leading a private investment of more than $35 million in its main building at 1200 E. Glen Ave. and surrounding properties in Peoria Heights. Backed by a tax increment financing agreement with the Village, the phased project covers exterior and interior renovation of the former headquarters, followed by rehabilitation of nearby properties for ground-floor retail fronting Prospect with office space above. The expansion is expected to add up to 60 new employees. Pearl has operated in the Heights for 70 years across three generations and has long been the village’s largest employer. (September 2025)
Excalibur Seasonings is expanding its Pekin facility with a 14,000-square-foot addition, including an expanded R&D lab and a meat processing test kitchen equipped with commercial-grade machinery—strengthening the region’s food processing and product development capabilities. (October 2025)
Eureka-based Crane Equipment & Service is investing $4.5 million, with support from a $600,000 state grant, to open a second facility in Morton. The project will add 24 employees and enable CES to serve new customers by expanding crane design, build, and installation capacity. (Fall 2025)
Caterpillar is investing more than $30 million to renovate its previously vacant AH Building in downtown Peoria. The project will bring 200+ engineering roles from Aurora, Illinois, into the Peoria administrative complex and complements a recent major renovation of Caterpillar’s downtown administrative building. (April 2025)
Komatsu America is investing $30 million in its Peoria mining truck facility, upgrading office and engineering spaces to support innovation and future growth. The project supports nearly 1,000 regional employees. (September 2024)
Carle Health opened Trillium Place, the region’s largest inpatient and outpatient mental health facility focused on teens and adolescents, expanding access to critical behavioral health services close to home. (September 2024)
OSF HealthCare opened a state-of-the-art Cancer Therapy Center on Peoria’s East Bluff, with more than $230 million invested in cutting-edge proton beam therapy that targets tumors while preserving healthy tissue. OSF is also constructing a 100-bed inpatient mental health hospital in north Peoria, which will become the largest facility of its kind in Illinois outside the Chicagoland area. (February 2024)
Greater Peoria continues to attract new companies while supporting existing employers as they grow. The projects highlighted here represent just a sample of recent wins—demonstrating the region’s strengths in talent, logistics, affordability, and collaboration. These investments span multiple sectors, including medical devices, chemical manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare.
Greater Peoria EDC works with companies of all sizes—from international manufacturers to local startups—looking to invest, expand, or relocate in the region. The team can provide data, site information, connections to partners, and insights into available incentives.
