Greater Chicago Plans for More Than $2.8 Billion in Projects in Next 12 Months

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Industrial Info is tracking more than $2.8 billion of industrial capital and maintenance projects that are set to kick off in the Chicagoland area from April 2015 through March 2016. Within the 14-county Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), passenger and freight rail projects are helping put the Industrial Manufacturing Industry, with 60 planned project starts valued at $957 million, into the top position for the both the number and value of projects. In terms of combined project value, this is followed by the Pharmaceutical-Biotech and Power industries.

One of the largest projects within the Industrial Manufacturing Industry is Ikea North America Service's (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania) planned grassroot distribution center in Joliet, Illinois. The project helps make Will County second only to Cook County in terms of the combined TIV for planned project starts in the area.

Click on image at right for a "heat map" of project activity by county in the Chicago area.

The Power Industry has more than $460 million in projects that are planned to kick off over the next year. Also near Joliet, NRG Energy Incorporated (NYSE:NRG) (Princeton, New Jersey) has plans to convert two coal-fired units at its Joliet 29 Generating Station to natural gas-fired units to comply with the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR). The project is tentatively scheduled to kick off late in the first quarter of next year. Another coal-fired conversion project is planned for NRG's Joliet 9 Generating Station as well.

While the big-ticket capital projects often get the most coverage, Industrial Info is also tracking maintenance projects valued at slightly less than $175 million that are set to begin in the area within the next year.

On May 6, Industrial Info will be presenting a complimentary Market Outlook & Networking Event at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. The outlook will be in the form of a panel discussion among our industry experts. The moderator and panel will include eight of Industrial Info's senior industry experts, who will bring more than 250 years of combined experience in the industrial market to the stage. The discussion format will provide the means to address questions from our audience, and will allow for increased dialogue and discussion between our experts.

Industries covered include:

• Oil & Gas
• Power Generation
• Petroleum Refining
• Chemical Processing
• Metals & Minerals
• Pulp, Paper & Wood
• Food & Beverage
• Industrial Manufacturing

Our experts want to answer your questions. There is a section to submit your questions on the RSVP form, and we will be fielding questions electronically at the event.

In addition, after the discussion, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be available, allowing you to network with your industry peers and ask additional questions of our industry leaders. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to gain an understanding of current trends in the market, as well as insight into what the future holds.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and ten international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.