- $6.6 million investment to reopen former Gunite factory under new ownership
- 150 full-time jobs to be created in Rockford, Illinois
- Supported by EDGE for Startups incentive program
- Facility to produce recycled-content brake drums for commercial vehicles
Rockford Brake Manufacturing will reopen one of Rockford’s most iconic industrial sites—formerly home to Gunite Corporation—following a $6.6 million investment supported by the State of Illinois’ EDGE for Startups program. The initiative will revive a 619,000-square-foot foundry and machine shop, restoring a key part of the region’s heavy-duty braking supply chain and creating 150 new jobs.
Governor JB Pritzker praised the project as “a continuation of Illinois’ manufacturing legacy,” emphasizing that the state’s incentives are helping Rockford Brake Manufacturing “bring 150 jobs to the area and reopen a historic Rockford factory.”
Rebuilding a Manufacturing Legacy
Founded by four former Gunite employees after the company’s parent Accuride closed operations in February 2025, Rockford Brake Manufacturing will carry forward more than a century of brake-making tradition. The new firm will operate one of the Midwest’s most vertically integrated foundries—producing commercial vehicle brake drums entirely in-house.
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton highlighted the project’s regional significance: “This effort breathes new life into a company that once—and will again—have a rich history and place in Rockford.”
Sustainability and Local Impact
In alignment with Illinois’ clean-energy and recycling goals, 85% of Rockford Brake’s products will be made from recycled materials, and all finished products will be fully recyclable. Foundry byproducts will be reused by local municipalities as road deicer, fill dirt, and concrete aggregate.
“The investment of the State of Illinois through the EDGE for Startups program is critical to the launch and future success of Rockford Brake Manufacturing,” said CEO Paul Wright. “We are thankful for the support of our local elected officials and partners to help us bring skilled, well-paying jobs to Rockford.”
State Incentives and Economic Impact
The company’s EDGE for Startups agreement grants payroll-based tax credits in exchange for investment and job creation commitments—an incentive structure introduced in 2022 to encourage startup growth. DCEO Director Kristin Richards noted that this investment “preserves a storied legacy of manufacturing in Rockford” and underscores Illinois’ position as a “top manufacturing hub.”
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara lauded the comeback: “A closed factory and laid-off workers came together to rebuild, rehire, and reclaim their place in automotive manufacturing. That’s true resilience.”
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