PepperBall Plans New Illinois Production Facility as Demand for Less-Lethal Systems Grows
What to Know
- PepperBall plans to build a new 15,000-square-foot facility in Waukegan, Illinois, to support increased production needs.
- The move will wind down the older Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility, consolidating manufacturing in Lake County for better efficiency.
- Centralizing operations will help maintain quality standards and improve supply chain responsiveness amid growing demand.
LAKE FOREST, Illinois -- PepperBall on Thursday announced plans to consolidate its manufacturing operations in Lake County, Illinois, including the construction of a new 15,000-square-foot production facility in Waukegan to support growing demand for its less-lethal law enforcement systems.
The company said the expansion will bring all manufacturing operations closer to its headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois. As part of the plan, PepperBall will wind down an older production facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, while increasing manufacturing capacity in Lake County.
According to the company, the new facility will allow PepperBall to centralize production of both launcher systems and projectiles while leveraging existing investments in personnel, research and development, and operational infrastructure in the region. The Waukegan plant will add to PepperBall’s existing footprint in Lake County, which already includes manufacturing and corporate headquarters facilities in Lake Forest.
Company officials said consolidating operations in the greater Lake County region is intended to improve manufacturing efficiency and consistency while strengthening distribution capabilities. The move is also expected to support the company’s ability to scale production as demand grows among law enforcement agencies and other public safety organizations.
Implementation of the operational realignment is expected later this summer.
“As more law enforcement agencies in the US and abroad are experiencing the benefits of de-escalating potentially violent situations with non-lethal tools, we’ve seen an increase in demand for PepperBall systems,” said PepperBall CEO Bob Plaschke. “While we are grateful to the Fort Wayne community and the role they have played, combining the manufacturing of both projectiles and launcher systems is critical in keeping up with demand and will enable us to accelerate innovation.”
PepperBall produces less-lethal systems designed to help officers manage potentially violent encounters while reducing the likelihood of serious injury. The company said centralizing manufacturing operations will help maintain quality standards while improving production efficiency and supply chain responsiveness as demand increases among law enforcement, corrections, and military customers.