Way Interglobal on Wednesday celebrated the opening of its new global headquarters at 22244 Innovation Drive in Elkhart, Indiana.
About 250 people attended the event, including state politicians, state and local industry leaders and employees. Attendees witnessed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, heard speeches, attended the company’s open house and enjoyed appetizers and music.
Way Interglobal’s five existing locations, comprising 360,000 square feet, will be replaced by the seven-football field-long, 800,000-square-foot facility. The new headquarters includes warehouse, showroom, administrative space and over 50 loading docks.
The new headquarters is one of the largest buildings in Elkhart County, the company said.
“We have put a lot of time into innovation over the last 10-plus years,” said Wayne Kaylor, CEO and founder of Way. “Now this is the crowning moment for us. The facility is going to allow us to take our product development, streamline it and get product to market more quickly and do a lot of testing that is necessary for the rigors of the industry.”
The new facility will include an interactive showroom, with an RV surrounded by grass next to a campfire site. A new, state-of-the-art laboratory “on steroids,” will replace the company’s existing testing facility, Kaylor said.
“We will be able to do heating and cooling, voltage regulation and humidity testing. Laboratory equipment will mimic on-road conditions so that product can be environmentally tested in real-world conditions,” Kaylor said. “Your house is conditioned for hot and cold temperatures. An RV may be parked for several weeks or months in some extremely hot, humid or cold environments. So, we must ensure the products perform properly.”
Way was founded in 2010 and now supplies several product category brands to the industry, including Everchill refrigerators, Greystone appliances, Elite power products and Drive entertainment systems. RV components include fridges, coolers, cooking ranges, portable griddles, fireplaces, water heaters, electronics and power solutions including solar panels, lithium batteries and generators.
The company plans to add 120 more jobs at the new facility over the next two years Kaylor said.
“We have coined and trademarked the phrase ‘take your home on the road,’” Kaylor said. “Our home is going to be firmly entrenched in Elkhart County and we are going to try to provide a great local working environment for the local community.”
Way’s team will begin moving into the building in the next few weeks. The warehousing team is already moving products into the facility.
“Thank you, Wayne and your team, for your continued investment here in Elkhart,” said Levon Johnson, president of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce. “Here is what I love most about this project; it is homegrown. As people look to come into this community and invest, they will know that we have companies like Way who have been here for a long time and know that this is the right place to both stay and grow.”
