A German-based steel manufacturing company said it will set up its North American headquarters in Chicago by the middle of this year.
ThyssenKrupp Steel, which produces elevators, automobile components and carbon steel, said it is currently looking for office space in the hopes of opening the regional headquarters this summer, according to the Chicago Tribune.
In making the announcement, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city beat out more than 20 other locations around the U.S. mainly due to its "extensive air service and a highly skilled profession labor pool."
Torsten Gessner, chairman and chief executive officer of ThyssenKrupp North America, told the news agency that the company did not seek any financial incentive.
"We've learned not to run where the incentives are or where there is the lowest tax rate," Gessner said. "We need the overall picture."
ThyssenKrupp currently employs more than 24,600 people, including workers with experience in the skilled trades and welding, in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Company officials said they expect to hire 100 new employees for the Chicago office.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects for welding, soldering and brazing workers are expected to be good through 2018, especially for those with advanced training.
