Equity Acquiring Mid America Motorworks Corporate Office Building (UPDATE)

The Equity is out of space at its headquarters on Roadway Avenue in Effingham.

The company is remedying that matter with the acquisition of the corporate office building and 23 acres of ground of Mid America Motorworks. The transaction is expected to be finalized in September.

Mike Yager, CEO of Mid America Motorworks said, “we are pleased to welcome The Equity to 23 acres of the Corporate Campus situated north of Effingham.”

Mid America Motorworks' carpet operations and interior manufacturing division, known as Performance Choice, have been moved to Alabama and Texas, which allow the full aftermarket Corvette and Air-Cooled VW company to move its daily operations into the Performance Choice Office building located behind the 1910 Gas Station. The move to completely renovated offices also allows for the connection of the MY Garage Museum and Mid America Motorworks’ Retail Operations with the addition of a breezeway. The Corporate Campus will remain set up and operational for events, with the iconic Fun Dome, and Install Domes, along with the Funfest Amphitheater on the northeast 90 acres of the property. In addition to locating their manufacturing outside of Illinois, Mid America Motorworks also has infrastructure to accommodate staff working remotely.

During this pandemic, while companies across the globe have been faced with downsizing and even closing their doors, Mid America Motorworks sees these events as a "leap in the right direction". A Mid America Motorworks release stated, "This move is a huge positive for Mid America Motorworks, as it allows the company to streamline several aspects of operations. During the move, they will be able to retain all staff and have even added to their team. The recent addition of a Cloud-based Phone System will help with a seamless transition from one building to the other, allowing their team to more or less unplug one desk and plug into another to begin their workday. Yager expects to see increased efficiency and improved communication for everything from product meetings to event planning for the rest of 2020 and beyond, as business continues to be robust worldwide."

Bruce Vernon of The Equity said, “As we enter into our 102nd year of existence, this acquisition provides for our growth well beyond the foreseeable future. Much has changed since the current office was constructed. In just the last 15 years we have grown from $155 million in revenues with 12 locations and 225 employees to over $450 million in revenues, 20 locations and 450 employees. The additional acres will not only provide for future growth but can immediately accommodate demonstration plots and educational events.”

The Equity will maintain operationally associated business unit staffing from the current office facility. It is anticipated that Grain, Feed and Energy will continue to be officed at 201 W. Roadway while most of the Corporate functions and the Agronomy business unit will office at the northern campus.

Vernon added, “I want to personally thank Mike, Laurie and Michael for their professional, collaborative and pleasant approach to this transaction. It quickly became obvious that our shared respect for the community allowed us to advance this project promptly.”

The Equity is the largest independent agricultural cooperative in Illinois. The organization offers a broad range of products to fulfill customers' needs, including Agronomy, Grain Services, Feed & Livestock, Energy, and a Hardware Do It Center.