Governor Kitzhaber broke ground last week on a project that will bring hundreds of new, family wage jobs to Oregon. The ceremonial first shoveling marked the start of construction at Daimler Trucks North America’s new headquarters. The Governor was joined by Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Daimler President/CEO Martin Daum.
“Today is another investment in Oregon’s future, and it’s another chapter in this great emerging story of Oregon as being a place where new products and new ideas are born and grow,” said Governor Kitzhaber.
Keeping Daimler Trucks N.A.’s headquarters and its thousands of jobs in Portland was a priority for Business Oregon. Bringing its problem-solving acumen to the table, Business Oregon employed flexible financing tools designed to facilitate high-impact business expansion projects. This is exactly the kind of work the agency specializes in: creating, retaining, expanding, and attracting businesses to provide living-wage jobs for Oregonians.
The total headquarters project requires a $150 million investment by Daimler Trucks N.A. Work began in April 2014 to clear the land for construction of the new building, which is expected to be completed in 2016.
The new 265,000-square-foot corporate headquarters building will serve two distinct functions: to merge the company’s employees currently located in offices separated by the Willamette River, and to accommodate hundreds of new positions in Portland that the company anticipates it will need for future business growth.
