JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A national pet food company has broken ground on the Joplin site of a new manufacturing and distribution center that's expected to create about 150 new jobs.
The Joplin Globe reports that Heartland Pet Products plans to operate a 425,000-square-foot facility in Joplin's Crossroads Business and Distribution Park.
Gov. Jay Nixon attended the groundbreaking for the new facility Tuesday. Also attending was Bill Bishop, president of Wilton, Conn.,-based Blue Buffalo Co., the pet food maker that's investing in the new plant.
Nixon's office said in a release that Blue Buffalo could be eligible for a strategic economic incentive package from the state if it meets criteria for job creation and investment. It's unclear when the new facility will open.
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Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com