Growth fuels another building expansion for Rust-Oleum in Vernon Hills
Continuing growth is prompting another expansion at Rust-Oleum Corporation's headquarters in Vernon Hills.
The company is planning a one-story, 17,266-square-foot expansion on the southwest corner of its familiar Helmut Jahn-designed building at 11 Hawthorn Parkway, off Route 60. It would allow for 108 additional work stations and 10 meeting rooms, and increase the total building size to 119,276 square feet.
The design is a continuation of a master plan that started in 2011 with parking lot expansions followed by construction of a pedestrian walkway to the atrium area and addition of a data center.
The construction also will allow for an internal reconfiguration to increase the amount of work space for each employee. Currently, 360 work people at the headquarters, with a typical daily population of 290.
Information provided to the village shows Rust-Oleum has grown from a $500 million to $1.5 billion company in the last six years.
Long known for its rust proofing aerosol paints, the product roster has been expanding through acquisitions and new product development to include a variety of paints, finishes, protective coatings and cleaning products.
Last fall, for example, Rust-Oleum introduced a kitchen degreaser/all purpose cleaner as an extension of the Krud Kutter brand it had acquired.
"We continually focus on innovation and have for nearly 100 years," said Tom Reed, president, chief executive officer.
"We're also expanding into new product categories beyond our core spray paint lines and seeing success there. We've added Krud Kutter household cleaners, RockSolid garage floor coatings and a line of automotive products just to name a few," he added.
The proposed addition will mirror the existing building exterior and be visible from Route 60. The plan does not require any variations for parking or other regulations, but changes to approved site and landscaping plans will be considered by the village's advisory planning and zoning commission before a vote by the village board.
During a recent presentation, architect Kurt Hezner was asked whether the company had considered renting in another building to accommodate growth.
"Tom Reed is very, very, very protective of his culture, and he wants his culture all there," Hezner said.
"He likes to have that energy there. That's why he's willing to make that investment," he added.
Rust-Oleum, a subsidiary of RPM International Inc., employs 2,450. In addition to the headquarters in Vernon Hills, it has 37 facilities worldwide including sales offices and manufacturing plants.
The company was founded in 1921 by sea captain Robert Fergusson, who noticed an accidental splash of fish oil had stopped the spread of corrosion on his rusty metal deck.