LEGO Group, the Danish maker of the enduring interlocking constructing bricks that spawned movies, motion pictures and “LEGO Masters” on tv, introduced Tuesday it should relocate its U.S. headquarters from Enfield the place about 740 are employed to Boston by the tip of 2026.
“Boston is ranked one of the best cities in the world to attract and retain talent,” Skip Kodak, president of the LEGO Group within the Americas mentioned, in a launch. “This together with world-class tutorial establishments, expert workforce and an ideal high quality of life makes it a perfect location for our U.S. head workplace. We have thrilling plans for the subsequent section of progress and hope we are able to retain a lot of our present workforce, in addition to appeal to new colleagues.
The transfer can be phased in starting in mid-2025. During the transition. LEGO workers will work at two places — the present workplace in Enfield and the corporate’s schooling workplace in Boston’s Back Bay.
The relocation will finish almost a half century of LEGO having a presence in Connecticut.
LEGO’s Enfield operations have been initially targeted on manufacturing and distribution however each have been closed within the mid-2000s. Six months in the past, when LEGO introduced plans to construct a $1 billion “carbon neutral” manufacturing plant in Virginia, issues have been raised about LEGO’s future in Connecticut.
At that point, Gov. Ned Lamont advised media retailers that LEGO had communicated to him that the corporate remained dedicated to Connecticut.
“I am disappointed to hear today’s news, but I am confident in Connecticut’s ability to attract and retain companies that value our competitive advantages in education, workforce, and quality of life,” Lamont mentioned, in a press release. “We are seeing these advantages resonate more and more in industries such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and fintech.”
Lamont, who spoke with Kodak Tuesday morning earlier than the announcement, mentioned the transfer “is motivated not by any Connecticut coverage however quite LEGO’s need to consolidate their enterprise operations close to the corporate’s Education Office and to reinforce their partnership with MIT.
Layoffs weren’t a part of Tuesday’s announcement, however Lamont mentioned the state would would work with “affected workers who choose to depart the company and stay in Connecticut.”
Kodak, in an interview following Tuesday’s announcement, mentioned no resolution had been made about Enfield when the plans for the Virginia plant have been disclosed.
“We’re grateful for our fantastic team and the support we’ve received in Connecticut over the past 50 years,” Kodak mentioned, within the launch. “This has allowed us to build a successful business and inspire millions of children. We wanted to give our people plenty of time to plan their futures, so we will implement a gradual transition over the next few years.”
In a press release, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn, mentioned he was dissatisfied by LEGO’s resolution, nevertheless it mirrored a broader shift by LEGO across the globe to focus extra on e-commerce and digital advertising, and to maneuver themselves into denser city areas reminiscent of Boston, London, and Singapore.
“In the meantime, it is important that the State of Connecticut—whose labor market has tens of thousands of job openings—connect this highly talented workforce to great career opportunities that exist in our region, from clean energy production, to all sorts of advanced manufacturing and engineering, and more,” Courtney mentioned. “My office will be monitoring this process closely with state and local officials to make sure LEGO employees in north central Connecticut are treated properly, and that they’ve got access to every opportunity for skills training and other forms of transitional support.”
LEGO opened its workplace in Enfield in 1975. The unique web site was house to a manufacturing unit and warehouse, however LEGO presently maintains places of work in Enfield. A everlasting location in Boston is being sought.
This story is creating. Check again for updates.
— By Kenneth R. Gosselin / Hartford Courant / [email protected]
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
