Panduit Completes 280,000-SF World HQ

TINLEY PARK, IL-Panduit Corp. has finished and moved into its new $40 million world headquarters here. The building infrastructure solutions provider has made good on its expertise in employee efficiency and sustainability, moving 550 employees from a worn-out warehouse facility into this new 280,000-square-foot office with LEED Gold features.

The company was formerly in a 1950s-era flex facility across town that had been added onto about 27 times, said Bob Smith, Panduit’s director of global real estate. “We were very sprawled out, it was a 10 minute walk just to go talk to someone,” he tells GlobeSt.com.

Smith says the firm was able to try out its vision, called the Unified Physical Infrastructure. The four pillars of the vision include connecting employees globally, technological innovations, collaboration concepts and sustainable design, he says.

For example, the offices are very open for communication with few walled-in offices, Smith says. “This next generation coming out of college, this is the way they want to work, in an open and social environment. Distractions don’t much bother this generation,” he says.

The technology uses smart building concepts, such as a power-efficient data center, connected architecture that bridges key business applications and a unified work operation network. Sustainable practices include a rooftop water reclamation system, recycled wood accents from old water towers, and a green roof, as well as automated building technology.

Energy savings from the sustainable installations will provide an estimated annual energy savings of up to 35%, Smith says. “These systems will easily pay for themselves in five years or less,” he says.

The company owns the building, and included enough room for expansions that might take place in the next 30 years, Smith says. The company is receiving about $13 million in tax credits from the state for the new building.