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GN, a global leader in innovative hearing, audio, video and gaming gear solutions, has announced plans to move its North American hearing headquarters from Bloomington, Minn. to Shakopee, Minn. starting in 2025, occupying the former Shutterfly Midwest production facility along Highway 169.
The company has finalized a 12-year lease and has begun planning for renovation and construction to turn the site into a 218,437 square-foot, state-of-the-art hearing aid manufacturing, repair, and shipping facility.
The facility will also house sales, customer service and marketing support for the company’s lead hearing aid brand, ReSound, as well as other professional support services for GN’s other hearing aid brands Jabra Enhance and Beltone. The company currently employs approximately 550 people in Minnesota, more than half in manufacturing jobs.
GN, with global headquarters in Copenhagen, has occupied the Bloomington facility at 8001 Bloomington Freeway East since 2001. Strong and steady growth in hearing aids sales in recent years, even coming out of the pandemic, have driven a need for additional, modernized space. The new lease represents a 79% increase in space from the Bloomington facility.
“We’ve simply outgrown our current space,” says Tom Woods, President, GN Hearing division North America. “This move to Shakopee is part of a long-term strategy to provide a best-in-class facility for our employees and to support continued growth in Minnesota as our life-changing hearing solutions are embraced by more and more people looking for hearing loss solutions that meet their individual needs.”
Colliers’ Andrew Odney and Andrew Heieie represented GN in securing the lease agreement.
Built in 2014, 5005 Dean Lakes Blvd. sits on more than 22 acres with 160,000 square feet of production and warehouse space, along with approximately 58,000 square feet of office space on two floors.
It features 12 dock doors, 24- to 28-foot clear ceiling heights, a drive-in door, parking for 655 cars as well as substantial infrastructure including a humidity control system and heavy power capabilities.
A robust on-site amenities package includes a 200+ person event center, training rooms, game room, fitness center, large cafeteria and outdoor break area. Most importantly, the facility is expandable by 118,000 square feet.
“Our new facility will enable us to grow while providing space and amenities that ensure we remain at the forefront of innovation in the hearing solutions market,” adds Woods, noting that the Twin Cities is recognized around the world as a leader in med tech and has a rich history within the hearing aid industry. “We felt it important to keep our operations in the United States to best serve our customers. And we want to be in Minnesota and believe Shakopee is the right place to grow. It gives us access to top talent, suppliers and other resources needed to innovate in order to help the millions of people in the U.S. with untreated hearing loss.”
"GN's decision to move its North American Headquarters to Shakopee is a clear indication of our city's growing reputation as a prime location for businesses seeking innovation and growth,” says William Reynolds, Shakopee City Administrator. “We are eager to collaborate with GN as they establish their state-of-the-art facility, which will bring new opportunities for our residents and bolster our position as a dynamic and attractive location for global leaders in technology."
The company now begins a redesign and remodel followed by a phased transition plan to ensure business continuity in the move from Bloomington to Shakopee that is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
GN has a rich history in hearing aid innovation, perhaps best known for pushing the boundaries of connectivity and accessibility in hearing aids. ReSound launched the first truly wireless hearing aid in 2010. That was a major breakthrough in hearing aids that led to the first Made-for-iPhone hearing aids in 2013, followed by direct audio streaming for Android devices.
ReSound Nexia is the latest hearing aid family, receiving rave reviews for its ability to help people hear speech in noise, while continuing the company’s legacy in connectivity as they are the first hearing aid to be Bluetooth LE Audio compatible and ready for Auracast.
Hearing loss is a major health issue, around the world and in the U.S. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 37.5 million U.S. adults report some trouble hearing, and 28.8 million could benefit from using hearing aids.
For more information about ReSound, please visit the ReSound website.
