A year after announcing a $195 million expansion at its manufacturing facility in Jefferson, Nestlé Purina is testing its newest production line with plans to start making sellable products within the next two months.
St. Louis-based
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company said
last April it planned to increase production of its wet pet food brands in Jefferson by nearly 50%, including Pro Plan, Fancy Feast, and Beneful IncrediBites.
The expansion will create 100 jobs when the new production line is running full time. New workers are expected to start joining the company this month. Currently, 250 people are employed there.
As part of the expansion, Nestlé Purina built a new warehouse to accommodate growing production needs. The warehouse added nearly 35,000 square feet of space to the company’s plant, located at 111 W. Plymouth St.
The new warehouse was needed because space within the facility that was previously used for storage was converted to accommodate processing and packaging equipment.
In total, there are now three production lines that can manufacture wet pet food at the Jefferson plant. Additional technological upgrades were also made.
“The expansion includes upgrades to our packaging equipment, including the addition of robotic palletizers,” the company said, responding to questions by email. “These systems automate the stacking of completed cases of pet food into units for shipment, improving efficiency and consistency.”
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is supporting the expansion project by authorizing up to $1.7 million in performance-based business development tax credits over the next five years. The actual amount of tax credits Nestlé Purina will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period.
In addition to its main Jefferson facility, Nestlé Purina in December purchased the former Timewell Drainage Products facility for $2.29 million. The facility is located at 201 W. Plymouth St., immediately southwest of Nestlé Purina’s existing manufacturing plant.
Part of the Timewell building is currently being used as a trailer drop lot. In the future, the company plans to use the space as a warehouse to support its increasing wet food production.
“The Jefferson factory is integral to Purina’s operations, contributing significantly to the feeding of over 46 million dogs and 68 million cats annually,” said representatives from the company. “Jefferson has been a fantastic partner in our growth. The city has shown strong support for our expansion – from assisting with land acquisition for our new parking area to facilitating the purchase of the nearby Timewell property. The community’s collaboration and long history with Purina make it an ideal place to continue investing in modern manufacturing.”
While Nestlé Purina doesn’t plan to make new pet care products at the Jefferson plant, the company says the equipment added there provides extra flexibility.
“As we continue installing additional processing equipment into 2025, we’ll have the capability to produce any of the products currently made on our existing lines,” said company representatives. “This flexibility will allow us to quickly adjust production to meet shifting business demands.”
At this time, the company is not planning any additional property acquisitions near its Jefferson campus.
Nestlé Purina's history in Jefferson
Nestlé Purina first began manufacturing in Jefferson in 1910 and has since become the largest and oldest manufacturer in the city.
The Jefferson plant was the company’s first manufacturing location to produce Fancy Feast cat food in the United States.
The company cites a willingness from local officials to work with companies as the reason for its continued investment and growth in the community.
The City of Jefferson created a tax incremental financing district providing up to $2 million in assistance to Nestlé Purina for project costs over a 20-year period.
“The expansion of Nestlé Purina’s facility is a testament to the strong relationship between our city and the business community,” said Dale Oppermann, mayor of the City of Jefferson. “We applaud Nestlé Purina for its continued investment in Jefferson, which will enhance our economic vitality and create a more promising future for all who call our city home.”
The expansion in Jefferson is part of a larger growth strategy for the pet care company, which recently opened a new dry pet food facility in Eden, North Carolina, and completed an expansion at its litter factory in King William, Virginia.
Between 2020 and 2025, Nestlé is on track to invest $2 billion in Purina’s factory and capital expansion projects to enhance its pet food manufacturing footprint.
Editor's note: A version of this story was originally published March 31. The above version was published in the April 14 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee and includes additional context about Nestlé Purina's presence in Jefferson County.
Read more stories about Nestlé Purina in Jefferson:
