Newell Brands is Moving Back to Atlanta (Hoboken: house, university)

[citidata18]

After getting the short end of the stick lately with the continued bleeding/erasing of Turner and the loss of SunTrust, this is most definitely welcomed news.

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...N6WTkxMnRUVCJ9

[ATLTJL]

It's a good company, for sure. Hopefully, it's learned from its past mistakes. However, Newell seems to still maintain this:

Newell Brands Design Center - Home

Several years ago, Newell decided to open a design center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, forcing many of its designers to relocate there. Why Kalamazoo? Good question, and I have no answer. It's as random as it sounds. The most believable story I heard is that some executive high up had roots in Michigan and wanted to move there. So he got some incentives from the state, and made it happen. That's not impossible to believe, stuff like that happens.

I have no idea if that's true, but it doesn't take a Harvard MBA to realize Kalamazoo, Michigan isn't exactly where you want to to be if you hope to attract top design talent. Rumors from the people who did make the move is the design center is a "total disaster."

This is based on third hand information, so if anyone knows better, feel free to correct.

[Atlanta Scientist]

It's less than 100 corporate leaders. I don't think that makes up for Turner and Truist.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Several years ago, Newell decided to open a design center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, forcing many of its designers to relocate there. Why Kalamazoo? Good question, and I have no answer. It's as random as it sounds. The most believable story I heard is that some executive high up had roots in Michigan and wanted to move there. So he got some incentives from the state, and made it happen. That's not impossible to believe, stuff like that happens.

I have no idea if that's true, but it doesn't take a Harvard MBA to realize Kalamazoo, Michigan isn't exactly where you want to to be if you hope to attract top design talent. Rumors from the people who did make the move is the design center is a "total disaster."

This is based on third hand information, so if anyone knows better, feel free to correct.

My next door neighbor was on the search committee. I thought Kalamazoo was crazy, but that area of Michigan has a long history of solid design. Herman Miller is the leader, but there have been a lot of other ones.

[ATLTJL]

It's new information to me that there even was a search committee. The way I heard it, this was just something that one guy wanted to do. Goes to show... you can't always believe the rumor mill!

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Scientist

It's less than 100 corporate leaders. I don't think that makes up for Turner and Truist.

But still, it at least cancels out Fortune 500 lost with SunTrust.

[brown_dog_us]

I'm using the word search committee, but I don't know what they called it internally. My neighbor was part of a group that looked at multiple locations and made the recommendation. IIRC they liked the lower cost of living too. Places like LA or NY were too expensive.

Newell is a great employer for Atlanta to have and they sort of fly under the radar compared to household names like Turner, Home Depot, etc. Returning the HQ to Atlanta isn't a big deal in numbers, but it cements Atlanta's position within the company.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

It's a good company, for sure. Hopefully, it's learned from its past mistakes. However, Newell seems to still maintain this:

Newell Brands Design Center - Home

Several years ago, Newell decided to open a design center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, forcing many of its designers to relocate there. Why Kalamazoo? Good question, and I have no answer. It's as random as it sounds. The most believable story I heard is that some executive high up had roots in Michigan and wanted to move there. So he got some incentives from the state, and made it happen. That's not impossible to believe, stuff like that happens.

I have no idea if that's true, but it doesn't take a Harvard MBA to realize Kalamazoo, Michigan isn't exactly where you want to to be if you hope to attract top design talent. Rumors from the people who did make the move is the design center is a "total disaster."

This is based on third hand information, so if anyone knows better, feel free to correct.

Oh Sweet Baby Jesus!!! Talk about a weird business decision indeed.

As a native of Michigan (Detroit), I'd first slit my wrist before moving to bum**** nowhere that is Kalamazoo.

I'm sure there are very nice people who live there and it's a fine town that suits the needs of some individuals, but you're 2-3 hours away from major cities (Chicago and Detroit), you're in the lake effect snow belt (thus virtually 9 months out of the year is solid overcast skies), it's lacking in diversity (very black/white and poor/working class) and besides Stryker, there are no other major white collar employers there (it does have a somewhat large university, but that's about it).

It's hard enough for companies trying to keep/attract talent to Metro Detroit after the auto industry collapse, so I can about imagine the hell it's been attracting/keeping talent at this design center for Newell.

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

It's a good company, for sure. Hopefully, it's learned from its past mistakes. However, Newell seems to still maintain this:

Newell Brands Design Center - Home

Several years ago, Newell decided to open a design center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, forcing many of its designers to relocate there. Why Kalamazoo? Good question, and I have no answer. It's as random as it sounds. The most believable story I heard is that some executive high up had roots in Michigan and wanted to move there. So he got some incentives from the state, and made it happen. That's not impossible to believe, stuff like that happens.

I have no idea if that's true, but it doesn't take a Harvard MBA to realize Kalamazoo, Michigan isn't exactly where you want to to be if you hope to attract top design talent. Rumors from the people who did make the move is the design center is a "total disaster."

This is based on third hand information, so if anyone knows better, feel free to correct.

Im not defending the move, but Kalamazoo actually is a design hub in America.

I work for NB, and the Hoboken office was more of a ceremonial headquarters that was a pet project of the last CEO (who left the company a few weeks ago). It didn't actually house many workers, it was simply a headquarters on paper by most accounts.

NB's failed merger with jarden has left the company unnecessarily scattered about through various legacy hq's. Primarily it's the writing, baby, and food divisions still in Atlanta. Just got a new CEO this week, will be interesting what he does in the next 6-12 months. Even within ATL, we are spread across 3 different locations and have been moved amongst buildings too frequently. So more changes to come I think.....

[Ric 0_0]

I still wish we could have gotten Honeywell (grrr...Charlotte). On the bright side, this move boosts ATL spirits while also providing a couple of new jobs as well. It also seems like no incwntives were used either which is a plus. This move now cements ATL's position withh commercial products with the likes of Home Depot, Westrock, Genuine Parts etc. Plus, UPS can ship all of their products lol.

Also, we'll be getting a new Fortune 500 with the merger of TSYS and Global Payments, but we will lose 2 Fortune 1000 companies.