Brunswick Corporation announced on March 28 its plans to open the Brunswick Innovation Laboratory in Research Park this spring. The corporation is well-known for producing marine billiards and fitness equipment.

Starting in April, the laboratory will reside in a temporary location until the completion of its permanent location in a new mixed-use building on First Street, between the iHotel and the Yahoo building.

Brunswick is the first scheduled tenant for the 60,000 square feet, three-story building. The building will be designed to accommodate both retail and businesses. Its construction is scheduled to start at the end of this month and is planned to be completed in November 2017.

“The Research Park’s intimate connection with the University of Illinois, with its resources and talented students and faculty, is particularly enticing for Brunswick as well as other firms seeking to expand their understanding and deployment of technologies,” said David Foulkes, Brunswick’s vice president and chief technology officer, in a press release.

Foulkes said the school’s resources, such as its engineering programs and other companies currently residing in the park, offer “an atmosphere conducive to collaboration and learning.”

Troy Kollmann, director of the newly established Brunswick research arm in Research Park, said that everyone is excited about coming to Research Park due to the abundance of resources the University offers through its faculty and different programs.

“It’s like a mini Silicon Valley, in my opinion,” Kollmann said.

At Research Park, Kollmann hopes to expand and advance Brunswick’s engineering programs. He hopes to draw from several different University fields, including engineering, industrial design and business.

“I’m actively involved with recruiting a set of interns with a broad mix of backgrounds,” Kollmann said. “We can do investigative research for the newer generations. We want to develop new products that are geared toward their consumer practices.”

Kollmann said he is excited for the change of pace the University’s young and vibrant environment will offer.

Laura Bleill, associate director of Research Park, said that they are excited to welcome Brunswick, another Illinois-based company.

“Research Park has a lot of momentum right now,” Bleill said. “The park is almost completely full, which is an opportunity for growth that is needed and necessary.”

Bleill believes that students will enjoy the opportunity to work in this domain, especially because many Brunswick brands are household names.

“This is another great opportunity for our students and faculty to work on the forefront of innovation,” Bleill said. “We can’t wait to see what the future holds for their innovation lab.”

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