ECHO Inc., a maker of outdoor power equipment, recently expanded its Lake Zurich headquarters, adding 51,000 square feet that will house two additional business divisions, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune.
"There will be a period of growth over the next few years," said company spokeswoman Barb Gora. "The two businesses that are moving in are just ramping up now."
The added room will include the company's industrial generator division, which recently launched in North America, and also ECHO's robotics division, Gora said. The business has just started bringing in staff for the new industrial generator division, while the robotics division is slated to start manufacturing activity roughly a year from now, she said.
"Staffing is still skeletal," Gora said. "The building expansion is an investment for the future. Growth will continue for the next few years."
The expansion was needed because the business was running out of space, Gora said. Sales employees work remotely and other employees work in satellite offices, restricting meeting spaces at times, she said.
The expansion reflects Yamabiko Corp.'s confidence in the continued growth of ECHO, which is Yamabiko's largest subsidiary, said ECHO President Tim Dorsey.
"While our core business remains within the landscape and arborist segments, we have grown in recent years with synergistic acquisitions and the introduction of product segments, such as industrial generators," Dorsey said. "With our growth comes the need for a larger facility to house those expanding businesses."
