Hill’s Pet Nutrition announced this morning it would build a 300,000 square-foot plant in Emporia, the third pet food plant to locate in Emporia.
The dry pet food plant brings with it more than 100 manufacturing jobs and will be located on an 80-acre site just south of Norfolk Iron and Metal and the new REG biodiesel plant in western Emporia. Emporia beat out several other sites, including Hill’s headquarters city of Topeka, to land the plant.
According to the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas, Hill’s would be the 11th-largest private employer in town and 16th-largest overall. Kent Heermann, executive director of the RDA, said the company would put about $100 million into the plant.
“We’re real excited about the project,” Heermann said. “Our team worked really hard on putting together this project in a short period of time.”
He and RDA President Jeff Longbine credited the cooperation of state and local groups and the fact that Emporia had a suitable site more or less ready to go, among other factors.
The company is best known for the Science Diet and Prescription Diet pet foods.
“Kansas has been home to Hill’s for more than 60 years and we look forward to expanding our presence here to support the continuing growth of our business,” company president Justin Skala said in a prepared statement. “This was a rigorous year-long process and we greatly appreciate the assistance we received from state and local officials.”
Overall, the company said, more than a dozen sites were considered. Hill’s will continue to operate its global headquarters, pet nutrition center and canned food manufacturing plant in Topeka, where it employs 850 people.
The area still needs to be rezoned for the industry, a move that will be discussed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on July 24. If approved, the Hill’s plant would be within a short distance of Canadian-owned Menu Foods, which opened its Emporia plant in 1998.
The proposed site includes farmland owned by Jim and Sharon Woods, which Emporia Enterprises has an option to buy, according to Heermann.
In addition to Hill’s and Menu, Emporia is also home to Emporia Pet Products, the former Safeway pet food plant. That plant was taken over by American Nutrition in April.
The Legislature passed a bill earlier this year, Senate Bill 240, to try to keep a new Hill’s plant in the state. The bill offers an income tax break to manufacturers that locate in Kansas by the end of 2009 if they invest at least $100 million in a plant, employ at least 100 people and pay better than average wages. Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed the bill on March 20.
The move was designed to make Kansas more competitive with surrounding states. The bill was supported by Hill’s and the Topeka chamber of commerce.
“If our community is selected as the site for this new facility, we will begin the reversal of bad news our community recently received with the closure of the Payless Distribution Center and the loss of 550 jobs,” Topeka Sen. Anthony Hensley said in arguing for the bill.
Other sites in the running were Gardner, Ottawa and Harrisonville, Mo.
Hill’s Packing Co. began producing canned dog and cat food in 1935 but Hill’s Pet Nutrition got its start in 1943, when veterinarian Mark Morris put a guide dog on a special diet to treat her kidney problems. The company began by selling its pet food in specialty stores, then branched out into other pet-care products.
It remained little-known until Colgate-Palmolive bought the company in 1976. After a slow start, Hill’s began working with the veterinary community to sell its Science Diet and Prescription Diet brands. By 1984, sales had topped $110 million. By the 1990s, Hill’s was working on expanding its international presence.
Hill’s reported $1.66 billion in sales last year, a 9 percent increase from 2005.
Its parent company, Colgate-Palmolive, is No. 200 on the Fortune 500. Last year Colgate reported worldwide sales of $12.237 billion and a net income of $1.353 billion.
“We are extremely happy that Hill’s Pet Nutrition has selected Emporia for its new facility,” Longbine said. “This valuable expansion will be a huge benefit for Hill’s, Emporia and the state of Kansas.”
An incentive package for the plant will be brought forward at a later date for the city commission’s consideration.
“All projects are not this successful,” Heermann said. “But every once in a while, it all comes together.”
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daveedailey (anonymous) says...
I wonder will the Woods get over a million dollars for their land? Are the corporate ceo's moving here to Emporia? What kind of tax break is this company getting and what kind of tax break am I getting? Of course Jeff Longbine will never see or answer any of these questions. Also what kind of benefits will this company have as far as good medical insurance that will pay for them to go to the hospital of their choice? I think the people of Lyon County are fed up with the company's getting tax breaks but our taxes just keep soaring. I am beginning to believe that we just have a bunch of crooks (appraisers) that are lining their own pockets with these so called big deals!
June 20, 2007 at 1:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vankamp (anonymous) says...
What amazes me is the statment by Mr. Longbine and Herrmann that it will be located on an 80-acre site just south of Norfolk Iron and Metal and the new REG biodiesel plant in western Emporia. Oh by the way we forgot: The area still needs to be rezoned for the industry, a move that will be discussed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on July 24.
This is what happened with the BioDiesel plant. All decisions were made about changing the zoning before it ever went to the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Then only 2 members of the commission had the nerve to stand up to the RDA and say that changing the zoning next to residential houses was not within the zoning laws. And guess what? Longbines neighbors that are on the Planning Commission board said "Whatever you want Jeff" Once again its who you are, who you know and where you live. I think they should put the new plant across the street from Longbine.
June 20, 2007 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
daveedailey (anonymous) says...
Right on Vancamp. This town has always been known for who you are, your name and how much money you have. Like I posted earlier, the people that need to see or comment on this will never do so. Did you, or have you heard about the citizens here getting any kind of tax break just because we live here? I sure hope they publish the price of the farm ground involved. I would be willing to bet it sells for more than any body elses farm ground. Like I have said before, but people around here fail to listen, this town and county are run by crooks and they get away with it. I think the RDA and Planning Commission are a bunch of fakes and liars out for their own good. What ever happened to the days of a company wanting to come here just because????
June 20, 2007 at 2:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Flips (anonymous) says...
" Quote"
"What ever happened to the days of a company wanting to come here just because????"
My personal opinion to answer you is:
There is toooooooooo much competition all over the whole USA for these companies to come & spend billions of their dollars in their communities & start 100's of new jobs!!!!!!!!!
If we don't have more companies big & small- come & build in Kansas-- & we don't fight for the tourism dollars also to come to Kansas-----------
our Tax dollars are really going to continue to soar as the population keeps decreasing!
We need all the new businesses we can get in Kansas--- big & small!!!!!!
And we need the people to come & visit our state & drop money while they are here also!
And when we have people working very hard to bring new businesses & tourism dollars to Kansas--------we need to support those people & not tear them down!!!
Thank you to everyone who works hard every day to bring money into our state's economy----in what ever manner you work to do so! We all need to continue to try & keep trying-----even when others are not positive about our efforts!!!!!
June 20, 2007 at 4:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
daveedailey (anonymous) says...
You are talking state! I am talking town and county. You apparently have the money to not care about your taxes. I do not! Where are the so called new people going to spend all this money you are talking about? Wal mart? Agreed we need all the businesses we can get but we as the citizens of this town and county need all the tax breaks we can get. Why should I have to pay to bring a big company here when they already have profits that neither you or I can rationalization. The ones who can afford to pay the taxes are the ones to get the tax breaks. No, my eyes are not brown??Dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 20, 2007 at 4:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Flips (anonymous) says...
Mr Dave--I have owned over 20 small businesses over the past 40 years (so I'm not exactly a Spring Chick here either/ with no business experience & I'm not dumb) & no one gave my small businesses any tax breaks in the state of Kansas--& I understand what you are saying--but without bigger businesses --we small businesses can not survive either------& with out small businesses the big businesses don't have a town to come to!
When you say "Quote"
"Where are the so called new people going to spend all this money you are talking about? Wal mart? "
No Sir-----I don't mean Wal-Mart------Bluestem Farm & Ranch Store ----& True Value Hardware----& many-many-many-other unique shops in Emporia have far more to offer than Wal- Mart ever dreamed of offering-- & that is where my family spends their money & I encourage others to spend their money also!
There is much to offer in Emporia -------but many over look it very often! Our whole state of Kansas is something to be proud of & promote------but too many don't put out any effort to do so!
Mr. Dave ---you seem to have a good knowledge of the history of Emporia & it is celebrating it's 150th Birthday this year------& I know there are many-many-places you could volunteer your knowledge & experience in helping with the celebration!
June 20, 2007 at 5:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
It's a good thing to get this plant here-they say it's to spread the plants apart to decrease vulnerability- but I'd say the overall cost of taxes,labor,logistics,and insurance played a big role.Still a good thing it's being built here.The bigger companies usually pit factory-against-factory,and city-against-city for the best incentives.Who bends over the most is in the running.In the case of my employer,they also use the lowball cost of Mexican,South American,and Communist Chinese plants as a bargaining chip to get the best package they can.Until all the cities and states are on the same page,this is just kinda the way it is.Milk,gas,bread- well,it's all going up along with the sales and other taxes.When bread goes from a dollar to a dollar seventy-five,the poor of Kansas WILL be taxed on the extra seventy five cents.But we're barkin' up a small tree here- It's like this all over the country! At the State and Federal level is where things are made a fair and level playing field.Never hurts to give'em what for at City Hall.But we aren't very loud yet,I guess.The fed could care less! The international manufacturing "chess players" know how to stay two steps ahead of war,the fed and US public outrage.
June 20, 2007 at 10:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
daveedailey (anonymous) says...
Yes, having a new company coming to town is a good thing. What is not, is the fact that we, as tax payers, get stuck with the bill every single time and get nothing in return. I agree, that all of the small business deserve the same tax breaks that they give these other corporations. Where are the incintives for the small person to stay here? Also, look at the long term picture of how long these companies will even stay. (till the tax break runs out?) Hopkins took business to Mexico, how did that help Emporia? Shopping, Emporia sucks (no better term to use). I do not know what you shop for, but for me it is very limited and I have a very limited budget. I do shop for groceries here because I want to keep our grocery stores. We already lost a good Dillon's. The people who think they run our town are just crooks and liars as far as I am concerned. Remember the box company that wanted to come in where Modine was? That seems to have been swept under the carpet. What I am seeing now is that the RDA and who ever else thinks it is good then we do it, but if they do not like the idea we do not. Where is my choice heard in all this? Of course, it all goes back to who this town and county can screw (the little person) and get away with it.
June 21, 2007 at 8:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UserName (anonymous) says...
Congratulations to the RDA on getting this business here. These are the kinds of jobs Emporia needs - not the minimum wage retail jobs.
If we can get a dozen more like this, then maybe the economy will improve enough that the average citizen will have a little more disposable income to support retail.
June 21, 2007 at 7:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
davee - You and I are on the same page here- I don't like the tax imbalance either! In fact I haven't said here how flat PO'd I am about the taxes and boughtoff-bloodsucking-Fascist leadership in this state. I was trying to get across the idea that this is bigger than a few people planning and promoting around here.This is "normal" all over the country! The corporations take what they can and every 7-10 years close up and run to the next really big deal.Because they can.Blaming the local planners,promoters,and wheelerdealers doesn't help at all.Even the best deals they can get for a town go bad half the time.Everybody is making special local tax and zoning laws to fit one local deal cause they have no choice- The Fed and the State say "screw the little people-go make your own deal!" There is no recourse if a company runs out early on tax breaks.A town will spend 5million trying to prove it.The deck is stacked against us.But the new plant-this is a decent paying outfit with good medical insurance,and they seem to take care of their employees.I will say it again-Thanks,Hill's - for keeping it at home!
June 22, 2007 at 12:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slvrnblck (anonymous) says...
The people that hate the way Emporia is allowing certain businesses tax breaks or other incentives to get them to come to town are ignorant of the way the business world works. Do you honestly think that there are good quality businesses that want to come to Emporia or towns our size without getting some kind of incentive? In order for us to grow and to be able to provide the quality of life that is expected by the citizens you have to do what it takes to make the deal. I applaud what our city is doing and to the people that insist on bashing them and the city itself....don't let the door hit ya!!
June 22, 2007 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )