Sorensen Visits Cook Medical in Canton, Highlights His Work to Create Manufacturing Jobs in Central Illinois

CANTON, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) joined company officials for a tour of Cook Medical in Canton to highlight his work to strengthen manufacturing and create good-paying, sustainable jobs in Central Illinois. 

“Our region has some of the best workers in the world, ready to make the products that support every industry from health care to agriculture,” said Sorensen. “That’s why we need to make sure businesses like Cook can continue to manufacture products here in Central Illinois, so we can provide stability for middle-class families and strengthen our local economies. I was excited to tour their facility today and meet with company leaders so we can continue to work toward that goal.”

“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with Rep. Sorensen so he could see first-hand our production facility and meet with our dedicated employees, who work hard every day to improve the lives of patients through their work on medical devices. Cook Canton is a source of pride for us as it was Bill Cook’s boyhood community. We look forward to continued engagement,” said Steve Ferguson Chairman of the Board of Cook Group Incorporated.

During the visit, Sorensen and company officials toured Cook Medical’s manufacturing facility and discussed the company’s work to expand access to emerging health care technologies and support manufacturing jobs to the region.

Cook Medical’s operations in Canton launched in 2010 and are housed under Cook Group Incorporated, which manufactures medical devices for minimally invasive procedures. Their facilities in Central Illinois specifically support the production of tubing used in a variety of different medical devices Cook Medical manufactures.

Canton was originally selected as the site for two facilities due to the area's historic manufacturing presence, in addition to being the hometown of Cook Group founder Bill Cook.

Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

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