Champion Environmental to Recycle 98% of Old Racine Tractor Plant, Clearing Way for Development of 100-acre Lakefront Property

Lake Forest, IL— CNH Global N.V. announced an agreement with Champion Environmental Services for the removal of the company’s empty manufacturing facilities overlooking Lake Michigan. Encompassing 100 acres, and situated on a bluff overlooking the lake, the CNH site is the largest single lakefront parcel available for development between Milwaukee and Chicago.

“In addition to job creation and retention, a primary objective of Racine County’s economic development plan is the enhancement of the county’s tax base,” Gordy KaCala, executive director of the Racine County Economic Development Commission, said. “CNH’s lakefront property provides a unique opportunity to create a substantial new development that would blend well with nearby residential, open space, and public uses. With proper planning, the property could be a key component in the future development of the Village of Mount Pleasant.”

Champion will recycle nearly 98% of the steel, brick, wood and concrete contained in the tractor plant, foundry, and power plant located on the site. Vintage brick used in the exterior walls of the 91 year old tractor plant will be reused in custom residential construction, concrete will be used as aggregate fill, while steel, copper wiring, and infrastructure equipment will be sold in secondary markets. The demolition is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Built in 1913, the Racine Tractor Plant is the former manufacturing home of the company’s legendary Case tractor family, producing 920,000 tractors in its 89 years of operation. CNH closed the facility in 2002, moving U.S. production of Case IH and New Holland tractors into the company’s expanded manufacturing operations four miles to the west.