ROCHELLE – The Nippon Sharyo rail car manufacturing plant has been shut down for nearly a year, but will be open for a public auction next week that is expected to draw a lot of attention.
The factory, located at 1600 Ritchie Court in Rochelle, was once home to several hundred employees, but since its closure the building has been sitting full of valuable machinery and other related equipment.
Cincinnati Industrial Auctioneers, a company based out of Ohio, will be hosting a two-day public auction next week. The auction is open to anyone who registers and will take place on June 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Prospective buyers may attend the auction either in person or via live webcast @cia-auction.com. A preview of the building and materials inside will also be offered on June 17 and 18 and all bidders must be registered prior to the sale.

Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corporation Director Jason Anderson said city officials are expecting as many as 1,000 people to come out to attend the event, and the auction company is estimating the sale will bring as much as $8 million dollars in sales.
A variety of equipment will be available, including fabricating and welding machinery, CNC laser cutting machines, hydraulic presses, exercise equipment and much more, most of which were purchased between 2010 and 2016.
A complete list of equipment for sale and virtual tours of each building can be found at cia-auction.com.
Buildings for sale
Separate from the auction, the two Nippon Sharyo buildings are also for sale though realty company Avison and Young.
The buildings are listed for $13.5 million and $14 million, respectively. The total lot size is 57.08 acres with both buildings adding up to a combined total of 810,555 square feet.
Anderson said he has been in contact with the realtor about marketing the facilities and the prime location to prospective businesses looking to locate in the “Hub City.”