Al Panico

“I have a loyalty to my company and my people because they’ve been loyal to me and the company for many, many years. Most of our press operators have been with me here for more than 10 years. Those weren’t 10 easy years, but we’ve stuck together through thick and thin. 

“During the recession our revenues tanked. But we didn’t cut wages and I didn’t lose anybody. I went without a few paychecks because that’s what an entrepreneur does. It would be extremely difficult to survive through something like that again.

“And if the state keeps asking for more and the business isn’t growing at the same rate, I don’t know how many more years we’re going to survive. 

“I always say that the only thing keeping our business here are these 200-ton presses. If we could afford to move them we’d be out of Illinois. Our property taxes and workers’ comp costs are just way higher here than every neighboring state. 

“Illinois just isn’t fair to people like us.”

Al Panico
The Line Group, Inc.
Arlington Heights, Illinois