Governor Quinn Announces Major Steel Company Will Locate North American HQ in Chicago

CHICAGO – January 20, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn announced today that steel producer Evraz is relocating its North American headquarters to Chicago, creating at least 70 new full-time jobs. Evraz chose to relocate to Illinois over other competing states due, in part, to a strategic state business investment package through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The $4 billion steel manufacturer employs 4,000 people at operations in Colorado, Delaware, Oregon and four Canadian provinces.

“Illinois continues making great strides toward economic recovery. Evraz’s decision to move here is one more indication that our business climate and our workforce are attractive to major national and international corporations,” said Governor Quinn. “Economic growth and creating jobs are the top priorities of my administration, and today’s announcement shows our economy is moving in the right direction.”

“We look forward to opening our headquarters in Illinois,” said Mike Rehwinkel, Evraz North American president and CEO. “Chicago is a financial and manufacturing hub with easy travel access to both our mills and customers, making it an ideal location for our North American headquarters.”

A wholly owned subsidiary of Evraz Group, Evraz Inc. NA is built on the pedigree of successful steel companies – Oregon Steel, Claymont Steel and IPSCO. It manufactures flat-rolled, long and tubular steel products for major markets including infrastructure, defense, energy and rail. In North America, Evraz is the No. 1 producer of large diameter pipe, the second largest producer of steel plate and the largest producer of rail. Evraz is moving its North American headquarters to Chicago from Portland, Ore.

“We are very excited that Evraz is bringing its jobs, talent and entrepreneurial drive to Illinois,” said DCEO Director Warren Ribley. “This move provides a boost to our efforts to create good-paying jobs for the 21st Century. Chicago’s leadership as a manufacturing and financial hub – and its geographically central location – make the city an ideal headquarters for major manufacturing companies like Evraz.”

DCEO will administer the state’s approximately $3 million business investment package, which consists of Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits based on job creation and Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) job training funds to enhance the skills of the company’s workforce. In return, the company pledges to create at least 70 jobs. The state’s package leverages a private investment by the company of $9.7 million over a ten-year period.

The efforts of the administration of Governor Quinn and DCEO have helped Illinois add more than 50,000 new jobs in 2010, more than any other Midwestern state.