PIM Brands Inc. has opened its new headquarters at 225 Brae Blvd. in Park Ridge. — Courtesy: PIM Brands
By Joshua Burd
The company behind Welch’s Fruit Snacks, Sun-Maid raisins and other brands has opened its new 111,000-square-foot headquarters in Park Ridge, bringing new life to the former longtime home of the Hertz Corp. after the rental car company’s high-profile departure in 2015.
PIM Brands Inc., formerly Promotion In Motion Inc., unveiled the space at 225 Brae Blvd. after a nearly $25 million renovation and expansion of the property. The company on Tuesday provided new details about the complex, touting features such as tasting and sensory labs, a pilot manufacturing facility and graphics studios, among others that will support a workforce of 150.
The snack and confections maker also detailed its rebrand in conjunction with its relocation from Allendale.
“As markets change, we will also continue to evolve, and our expanding lines of business and our product portfolios will follow in kind to meet ever developing consumer needs and customer requirements,” said Michael G. Rosenberg, PIM Brands’ CEO and president. “Those goals also extend to ensuring we attract top talent both domestically and around the globe. Adopting our new name and visual identity are designed to help us ensure we succeed.
“The new name helps clarify what we do, which is to make, market and sell the highest-quality, greatest tasting, and most preferred consumer-loved brands.”
Those brands also include Original Gummi FunMix, Sour Jacks and others, all of which are on display at PIM’s new space in Park Ridge. The company has moved in about a year and a half after signing a lease for 110,945 square feet, roughly half of the building, in a transaction with Brae Holdings LLC that was brokered by CBRE.
According to PIM Brands, the facility also houses retail plan-o-gram layout rooms, ample work areas for remote-based workers who are visiting and expansive office and conferencing spaces.
“We’re excited to provide our associates and visitors with a truly world-class facility which includes both the technology and creature comforts to support a collaborative, engaging and high-performance environment,” Rosenberg said.
The opening follows PIM’s recent expansion of its manufacturing footprint in the Somerset section of Franklin, where it has rolled out new production and robotic packaging lines and added a 309,000-square-foot distribution center on Randolph Road. With demand for its products continuing to grow at double-digits annually, the distribution center will house nearly 46,000 pallets, which equates to nearly 2,000 full truckloads of finished goods.
The company noted Tuesday that PIM Brands Inc. will remain part of The Promotion In Motion Family of Companies, which also includes PIM Brands LLC, its manufacturing arm, as well as Pharma In Motion and the newly created PIM Consumer Health, focusing on vitamins, minerals and supplements and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. Also included are PIM Brands Canada, PIM Brands Global, PIM Brands Hindustani, PIM Brands Iberica, PIM Brands Mexico, PIM Brands UK and others.
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