Broetje-Automation Signs First Lease at Elk Grove Tech Park

CHICAGO—Brennan Investment Group, which is building the first phase of its 1.2-million square-foot Elk Grove Technology Park here, has landed its first tenant—Broetje-Automation.

The German aviation and aerospace production firm has signed a lease for 43,206 square feet at a 151,693-square-foot building at the Elk Grove Technology Park.

The site will serve as its U.S. headquarters and production facility for manufacturing and assembling robotic systems and automated composite manufacturing equipment. The property will feature a high-end glass façade, modern, pre-cast construction, state-of-the-art systems and fixtures, 32′ ceiling clearance and ample loading and auto parking.

Ken Benczkowski, president of Broetje Automation-USA Inc., says of its deal at the complex, “Broetje Automation-USA has ambitious plans to increase our footprint in the North American market. With our new facility in Chicago, we will bring enhanced skills closer to our customers and will have the capability to manufacture and assemble products in the United States, including our latest robotic developments, our new products targeting composites applications, and other productivity driving technologies. We are looking forward to fully implementing this strategic step for our company and our customer base.”

“Industrial space users continue to utilize more technology,” says Michael Brennan, chairman and managing principal of Brennan Investment Group, which is headquartered in Chicago. “This is evident as we witness the rise of e-commerce, the increased use of robotics and automation in manufacturing, and the proliferation of data centers. We built Elk Grove Technology Park on the premise that this trend was only in its infancy. As such, a new type of park was needed to ensure that businesses can compete, prosper, and grow.”

Brennan Investment Group broke ground in late July 2018 and announced plans for the Elk Grove Technology Park a year earlier. Phase one of the park consists of four buildings with a total of 524,583 leasable square feet remaining. Completion of the last building in phase one is targeted for the late summer of 2019.

The park, which offers access to I-90, I-294 and I-390 and O’Hare International Airport, at full build-out will offer an amenity rich infrastructure of ponds, water features, sculptures, bike paths and pedestrian walkways, providing an optimal environment for employee attraction and retention. In addition to industrial uses, the property is also being marketed to data centers.

Mike Sedjo, Jack Brennan and John Hamilton of CBRE represented Brennan Investment Group in this transaction. Broetje-Automation was represented by Bill Lussow of Bespoke CRE.

Brennan Investment Group and Arch Street Capital Advisors, LLC of Greenwich, CT reported earlier this week they have formed their eighth real estate joint venture, a new $300-million fund focused on the acquisition of net-leased mission critical industrial properties.

The partners acquired two regional distribution properties totaling 1,152,000 square feet in the Jacksonville and Chicago metros. The properties are 100% leased to subsidiaries of BlueLinx Holdings Inc., a leading distributor of building and industrial products in the United States.