RANTOUL — A Rantoul company has opened a learning center that will bring hundreds of people to the community for training each year. On Wednesday, Jeld-Wen, manufacturer of windows and doors, unveiled the Midwest Learning Center — the first of three such centers to be opened in the country. Jim Parello, Jeld-Wen vice president of marketing, said the opening of the facility is one more indication that the building trades have recovered from the recession that rocked the country in the latter part of the last decade. “We had not had a formal training program at Jeld-Wen for a number of years,” Parello said. “Like a lot of companies, when the recession hit in 2007-08, certainly a lot of programs were pulled and costs were managed down. Training for a lot of corporate America (was a victim of the tough economic times).” The learning center is part of a major renovation of the Rantoul plant that also includes an upgraded customer service department. Parello said the Rantoul plant was selected because of its location, availability to transportation and nearby lodging.
“When we looked at geographically where we wanted to be, it had to be easy to get in and out of for our customers,” Parello said. A wide range of “students” from throughout the Midwest will be trained at the center, including Jeld-Wen customers, dealers and architects. The center is part of an overall learning focus that the company calls Jeld-Wen University. The university will also involve four mobile show rooms the company will deploy to customers who are unable to travel to Rantoul for training, and an online learning management system. The level of training will be tailored to the students. Among the topics to be taught will be industry trends, housing industry projections (“If you’re a dealer, it helps you to learn what to expect,” Parello said), product details and industry requirements. For instance, window requirements are different in Illinois than they are in areas prone to hurricanes. Course work will also be available for architects taking continued education units.
The company used existing space at the Rantoul facility to house the learning center. Added were training rooms, conference rooms, a breakout training area as well as a showroom for windows and doors to be used both in the training forum as well as to exhibit to customers. Derek Brosterhouse, Jeld-Wen director of training, said an average of 30 people a week will venture to Rantoul to learn at the center, with a capacity to serve up to 50 at a time — most “students” spending about three days at a time there. The display area includes representative products made by Jeld-Wen, which is the only company in the nation that manufactures a full line of both doors and windows. The learning facility will teach customers to become better sales people and will “incorporate installation,” Brosterhouse said. Teaching will be inter-modal, meaning more than one teaching method will be used because some people learn better visually, while others might have an easier time learning audibly or using a hands-on approach.
Different teaching stratums will also be used. The 100 level will include the rudimentary subjects such as how windows and doors are made, while more advanced levels will delve into more sophisticated product details, performance-grade issues and industry topics. “We’re trying to take aim at our future through education,” Brosterhouse said. Mark Beck, Jeld-Wen president and CEO, is a proponent of continued learning. “I think it’s important to note that the name of this new facility is the learning center,” Beck said during a grand-opening ceremony. “It’s not the training center. It’s a place where people can all come and learn. This is an important value to me personally.” Mayor Chuck Smith noted Rantoul has a history affiliated with learning — alluding to the community being the former home of Chanute Technical Training Center. “It is a community that has built its foundation on that,” Smith said. “The thing that caught my eye when I received my invitation was ‘Jeld-Wen University.’
It has a nice ring to it.” Village Administrator Jeff Fiegenschuh said Rantoul is fortunate to have the new learning facility. “It shows that our local business leaders support Rantoul and are willing to invest and expand here,” he said. “The new facility will bring people from all over the country who will stay and shop in Rantoul.” Fiegenschuh said the expansion will help the village further its goals of more hotel facilities and restaurants. He said Rebecca Motley, co-economic development director, is working to connect Jeld-Wen with owners of the Holiday Inn Express that will be built in west Rantoul. Teri Roberts, customer service manager, showed off the facility’s modernistic customer service area. The Rantoul plant operates one of the company’s three wood window support divisions as well as a support center for vinyl windows and doors. The facility supports retail customers such as Home Depot and Menards as well as traditional dealers. It processes more than 150,000 calls as well as about 50,000 orders and 7,500 quotes a year.
Jeld-Wen purchased the Rantoul plant in 1997 from Alcoa. The plant has been in operation since 1976.JELD-WEN Plans Training Center-Headquarters In Charlotte, North Carolina JELD-WEN, global manufacturer of windows and doors, is planning a new multi-million dollar corporate campus and training center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company plans to hire 200 associates at its headquarters in Mecklenburg County. Founded in 1960, the company designs, produces, and distributes an extensive range of energy-efficient doors, windows, and related products for use in residential and commercial buildings. “JELD-WEN is investing in Charlotte because this vibrant city has so much to offer in the way of talent and amenities,” said Mark A. Beck, President/CEO of JELD-WEN. “We appreciate the support provided through the state Job Development Investment Grant as well as local Charlotte Mecklenburg support and we look forward to strengthening our connection with this great community.”
As an incentive, JELD-WEN’s expansion in Charlotte will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Under the terms of the company’s JDIG, the company is eligible to receive up to $2.4 million in total reimbursements. Payments will occur in annual installments over 12 years pending verification by NC Commerce and NC Revenue that the company has met incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIGs reimburse new and expanding companies a portion of the newly created tax-base with the goal of increasing the overall tax benefit to the State of North Carolina. The state reimbursement is contingent upon local participation from Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte. By law, JDIG projects must result in a net revenue inflow to the state treasury over the life of the award. In the case of JDIG-supported projects in Tier 3 counties such as Mecklenburg, 25 percent of the award is directed to the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account to help finance economic infrastructure in less populated Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties.
JELD-WEN’s expanded operations could provide as much as $813,750 in new funds for the Utility Account. For additional information on county tier designations, click here. “North Carolina’s outstanding business climate continues to attract new jobs and investment from global companies looking to sharpen their competitive edge,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “This expansion by JELD-WEN speaks highly of our state’s great workforce and to the company’s confidence that it can recruit top executive-level talent here from around the world.” “Global companies need global connectivity, and North Carolina offers convenient access to both domestic and international markets,” North Carolina Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III. “Charlotte’s excellent air service, for example, puts JELD-WEN’s leadership team within easy reach of its operations around the world.” Numerous organizations joined North Carolina Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina in supporting JELD-WEN’s expansion.
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