From:Plastics News

Raymond Mendoza Jr., sales engineer, Avian (USA) Machinery LLC at the company's new facility in West Chicago, Ill.

WEST CHICAGO, ILL. — Avian Group is expanding its global reach.

The company, which makes shredders and granulating equipment in Shanghai, has scheduled a grand opening ceremony for its factory in West Chicago for Sept. 24. The facility, which is near O’Hare Airport, handles sales and service for customers in North America.

The 35,000-square-foot factory has several shredding and granulating machines on site, and is scheduled to receive a shipment of more equipment, plus spare parts, in the next few days, according to Leticia Guzman, office administrator.

The company will host local dignitaries and customers at the grand opening.

Avian was founded in 1982 in Sydney, Australia, and remains headquartered there. In 1997 the company transferred production to Shanghai.

The West Chicago factory will assemble equipment that’s manufactured in Shanghai, handling final assembly and electrical cabinets.

Avian has had a North American office since 1992 in nearby Naperville, Ill. With the larger facility in West Chicago, the company now has a showplace for its equipment, and a warehouse where it can have parts and equipment in stock. Avian (USA) Machinery LLC, the local operation, started moving to the larger building in March, and completed the transition in May.

Avian officials have said that they want to ramp up U.S. production, in part because of the rising cost of manufacturing equipment in China.