A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 5, celebrated a $156 million expansion project at the Purina plant in Clinton. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
CLINTON, Iowa – Nestle Purina’s pet food and product facility is celebrating a major business milestone with the completion of a $156 million expansion that will lead to the hiring of nearly 100 more workers as part of that project. “The pet care business is strong. … We are always looking ahead to what’s next,” […]
CLINTON, Iowa – Nestle Purina’s pet food and product facility is celebrating a major business milestone with the completion of a $156 million expansion that will lead to the hiring of nearly 100 more workers as part of that project.“The pet care business is strong. … We are always looking ahead to what’s next,” Justin Wilkinson, factory manager of the Nestle Purina Clinton plant, said during a celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 5, for the company expansion.That event attracted about 100 people, including company, city and local economic development officials.The expansion project, which began in early 2020, includes:
New cooking and packaging lines that will be used to make a variety of pet food brands, including Purina ONE, Purina Pro Plan and Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets.
A new 3,800-square-foot technical training center in Clinton that supports Purina’s investment in digital tools and technology to enhance collaboration and innovation in manufacturing.
Purina also purchased a building adjacent to the factory and retrofitted it for the packaging and storage of two unique Purina brands. They include: Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements, including Calming Care and FortiFlora, the No. 1 probiotic brands recommended by veterinarians that contain beneficial strains of bacteria that promote calm behavior and support digestive health, respectively.
The expansion results in 96 new positions at the factory, which now employs about 570 workers.
“Purina is proud to invest in our brands, our employees and the community here in Clinton,” Mr. Wilkinson said in a news release. “The Clinton factory plays a unique role at Purina withthe production of over 190 formulas, many of which are exclusively made in Clinton. We value our team here and their future, and we are grateful that the Clinton community has supported our growth here for more than 50 years.”Company officials added that the expansion results from growing demand from pet ownersfor nutritious, science-based dog and cat foods using high-quality and trusted ingredients.In part, that demand is being met with Just Right, Purina’s first personalized dog food brand. Through a subscription-based e-commerce model, Just Right is created using information provided by dog owners, balanced by Purina’s nutritional experts and hand scooped and measured with personalized feeding instructions for each unique dog. All blends are 100% complete and balanced, prepared and packaged exclusively in Clinton.During a tour of a Purina building Wednesday, company officials showed part of the process of creating and shipping Just Right from the Clinton plant. Company official Jim Marshall showed the personalized dog food packages sent to customers. Each package contains a bag of food and other needed items, such as a welcome kit and even a food scoop. Even the bags have a personal touch for each pet and pet owner. For instance, one bag was labeled “Bella’s Blend” with a photo of Bella, a small back dog, that was sent by the dog’s owner and placed on the packaging. Another bag was called “Marley’s Blend” with a photo of a boy and his dog, Marley.“You can’t get more personalized than this,” Mr. Marshall added.“The pet care industry is dynamic and thriving, and Purina’s role as the category leader is one that we take seriously,” said Andrea Faccio, chief growth officer at Purina. “The ongoing investment in our business, including this expansion in Clinton, sets us up for continued growth in the future and helps us meet increasing demand from pet owners who have placed their trust in Purina to deliver nutritious and high-quality dog and cat foods.”Company officials added that the words “continued growth” are key to the Clinton company. At the ceremony, several officials hinted that the community should expect more growth in the years to come. For instance, John Bear, Purina’s chief technical officer, said: “We are not done. Stay tuned.”And Mr. Wilkinson added: “We have big plans. We’re going to continue to grow.”However, company officials did not provide details of possible future projects.Purina employs approximately 1,370 people across Iowa. In addition to the factory in Clinton, Purina has operations in Fort Dodge and Davenport. Nestlé Purina strives to make a positive impact in every community in which it operates. In Clinton, the factory partnered with several local organizations on the expansion, including Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Grow Clinton, Iowa Economic Development and the City of Clinton.
