It will be years before the full scope of Rivian's economic impact comes into view.
The electric automaker already has more than 1,300 employees in Normal and plans to hire hundreds more. That will soon make it one of our Top 5 largest employer—essentially overnight.
And it’s not just those permanent full-time hires that will drive economic impact. It’s the expansion and buildout work already underway.
The former Mitsubishi manufacturing plant in west Normal already was big before Rivian moved in (2.6 million square feet). Rivian wanted more space. It’s already added square footage in the hundreds of thousands, with more to come. It’s a $1.2 billion renovation.
In interviews with local unions, few could point to anything of that scope in recent local history.
“We’re swamped. We’re extremely busy,” said Matt Watchinski, business representative with Carpenters Local 237.
The Carpenters have 200 to 300 members at Rivian right now, including a bunch from the union's Millwright division, doing robotics and assembly line work.
“We’ve had some guys there for close to three years now,” Watchinski said, “starting with office remodels in the existing buildings to, once Rivian figured out their assembly line and stamps and everything they needed, our contractors went in and tore out a bunch of concrete and had to put in the footings to put in the new equipment coming in. So there’s been a lot of work out there.”
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 99 in Bloomington also is busy. It’s at full employment for the first time in a while. That includes about 75 union members right now at Rivian.
"Bloomington’s booming with work in this area. There’s a lot going on."Jay Logan
“Bloomington’s booming with work in this area. There’s a lot going on,” said Jay Logan, business manager for Local 99.
And the list goes on. Nearly 500 electricians have recently found work at the plant. They're doing everything from running power and lighting for new conveyers to doing control work for robotics. Thirty painters, drywallers, finishers and glazers are there now, too.
Those in the business say the Rivian work has gobbled up pretty much all of the contracting and trade capacity in central Illinois. Essentially, the entire construction industry has been engaged to support the plant buildout.
That's a big deal, because not too long ago the local construction business was depressed.
The electricians union, IBEW Local 197, was at 30% unemployment before Rivian, said business manager Mike Raikes.
“Our workers had to travel, mostly the Midwest but all parts of the U.S., to find construction jobs,” he said.
Logan said a union plumber and pipefitter can work anywhere. That can be a double-edged sword.
“I was one of those guys back in the day, working in Wisconsin and Indiana and Missouri and everywhere else,” Logan said.
Now, it's flipped. Rivian and a few other big projects in town mean union members from other communities are driving into Bloomington-Normal every day.
“Or they’re staying here and rent a motel here, or an apartment, or a campground site, things of that nature. And they shop in our area. A lot of them travel from far away to get in here,” said Logan.
That's a lot of out-of-town money being spent in Bloomington-Normal. But it's not just a pocketbook issue.
Matt Watchinski with the Carpenters said it's a quality-of-life issue.
“That just does a lot for a guy. After a long day of hard work, being home by like 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock, instead of still driving another hour, it gives you more time with the family, more time to unwind,” he said.
Some trades are expanding their apprenticeship programs to keep up with the demand.
The Carpenters have three or four times the number of apprentices now versus the past decade or so, Watchinski said. One way in is what’s called pre-apprenticeship that comes with a four-month probationary period, but also a $17-an-hour starting wage. (Contact him if you’re interested.)
Watchinski said they’ve attracted former fast food workers, hospital workers … you name it.
“We kind of get applicants from everywhere,” he said.
It's not just Rivian that's keeping the trades busy. South Bloomington candy maker Ferrero is doing a $75 million expansion project. The YMCA-Easterseals building is going up at the OSF complex in Bloomington. There's a pipeline project just north of here in Pontiac. Some residential work is picking up.
“And we haven’t even started with the school work,” Watchinski chuckled. “Once the schools are shut down for the summer again, they all have renovations and upgrades they have to do.”
And the trades are hopeful for more. Logan, with the Plumbers and Pipefitters, said Rivian could attract subcontractors to come here and build out.
“We’re kind of hoping to see some sub-assembly plants come to town to support Rivian,” he said.
And all of this is at the tail end of an economic downturn caused by a historic pandemic. Some argue that's why there hasn't been as much restaurant construction work as of late.
“Hopefully, we can get through this pandemic here, and you’re gonna start to see the full perspective of what exactly Rivian means to our local economy,” said Mandy Jo Ganieany, organizing director with the Painters District Council No. 30.
Rivian's first electric vehicles will be delivered to customers this summer.
