Van Meter to sell Chicago office

CEDAR RAPIDS - Van Meter Inc. has agreed to sell its Chicago distribution office to Connexion, an electrical and lighting supplier based in Chicago.

According to a statement from Connexion, the company plans to close the sale by Dec. 28 and retain many the 23 employees located there.

Van Meter, a 90-year-old electrical supplier based in Cedar Rapids, opened the Chicago office in 2016 after buying local lighting supplier Bright Electrical Supply.

Van Meter spokeswoman Karmen Wilheim said the company developed a plan through 2025 focusing on growing its automation, e-commerce and national contracting segments, along with other location acquisitions.

Adding those new services to the Chicago office didn't fit into the strategy, she said.

'Doing that having one location a fair distance from our headquarters was not ideal,” she said.

Wilheim said the deal will have no effect on its 15 other locations spread across Iowa and in Omaha.

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