Daifuku Hobart manufacturing company hiring 50 people now, hundreds in next few years

HOBART, Ind. (WLS) -- If you're ready to work, there's a manufacturing company less than an hour outside of Chicago that's looking to hire dozens of people this month and hundreds over the next few years.

Daifuku Manufacturing builds the machines that help run Amazon and FedEx facilities, creating conveyor equipment that gets items from place to place. And they're hiring 50 people right now.

"It means a lot to me and it means a lot to the company to be able to continue to offer jobs to people, keep food on the table, help people take care of their families in a tough time," said Daifuku Director of Manufacturing Dustin Boyd.

Whether it's welding, operating laser cutters, handling materials, if you have trades, warehouse or manufacturing experience, Boyd said this is an opportunity to join an essential business that's weathering the COVID-19 crisis.

"We expect this facility will about double again in size. We will probably be close to 500 or 600 people when we're done," he said.

Rueben Rivera started working at the Hobart Daifuku facility as a forklift operator and material handler just a few months ago.

"It means everything," Rivera said. "To be able to come to work during this pandemic, lot of us are grateful and thankful that the doors ain't closed right now."

Rivera said despite the new COVID-19 economy, things are looking up.

"With us hiring all these people, it's just letting everybody know all the potential here," he said.

And these open jobs come with healthcare, vision, dental and disability benefits in a field that's thriving, even during a nationwide health crisis.

"We've seen a lot of challenges and we're really excited that we've been able to stay open throughout this," Boyd said.

Outside of the hires this month, Daifuku said they are expanding and are looking to hire 200 people over the next few years.

To apply online, head to hobartjob.com.