Stephen Garner

Tue, May 20, 2025, 12:18 PM3 min read

Wolverine Worldwide has upgraded its global headquarters.

The footwear company has wrapped up a “major renovation” of its HQ in Rockford, Mich. as part of its continued efforts to “modernize facilities, centralize core business operations, and attract and retain top-tier talent.”

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The centerpiece of the project is a top-to-bottom renovation of 40,000-square-feet of space to house the company’s two biggest brands, Merrell and Saucony, the latter of which the company recently relocated to Rockford from Boston.

Originally constructed in 1963, the expansive space served as a footwear factory for several decades before transitioning to dedicated office space in the 1990s. Now known as “The Factory,” it features exposed structures and concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, 224 individual workstations, dedicated product and marketing rooms for each brand, 31 collaboration and meeting rooms, a café, and state-of-art technology for product design, marketing, and global collaboration.

The Factory is the latest improvement to Wolverine Worldwide’s 300,000-square-foot global headquarters. Additional on-site amenities for team members include subsidized daycare and early education center for children six-weeks-old to five-years-old; a fitness center including personal training and group classes taught by certified personal trainers; four miles of on-campus hiking and nature trails; an on-site subsidized cafeteria; and dog daycare.

“Our company is driven by a new vision to Make. Every Day. Better. – for our team, customers, consumers, shareholders, and community,” Chris Hufnagel, president and chief executive officer of Wolverine Worldwide, said in a statement. “We believe that to create amazing, thoughtful, trend-right, innovative products and experiences that improve our consumers’ lives and drive growth, we must provide our team members with great environments to work and win together.”

The company noted that this project is supported by a $1 million Michigan Business Development Program grant in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Center (MEDC) and The Right Place, Inc.

“Today’s investment announcement by Wolverine Worldwide further advances the state’s outdoor recreation industry heritage,” Matt McCauley, senior vice president of regional development at the MEDC. “This announcement further proves Team Michigan’s successful execution of the ‘Make it in Michigan’ economic development strategy focusing on People, Places and Projects. The company could have chosen to expand anywhere in the country, or world for that matter, and we remain thankful for their commitment to Michigan and the talented workforce in West Michigan.”