Nestlé Purina PetCare has inaugurated a new pet food factory in Eden, North Carolina, with state officials, community partners and leaders from the company attending the opening ceremony.
In the past three years, Nestlé has invested more than $450 million (€416 million) in the factory, which is also its first manufacturing facility in North Carolina.
Purina chief executive officer Nina Leigh Krueger stated, "Our new factory in Eden is a huge step to continue meeting that growing demand, and the latest example of the continued investment being made across our US manufacturing network.
"We're grateful for the support and partnership across the region, and are confident we're building a facility, and a passionate team, that will represent this community proudly for generations to come."
Nestlé plans to invest $2 billion (€1.9 billion) in Purina's factory and capital expansion projects between 2020 and 2025.
The company is constructing its 24th factory in Williamsburg Township, Ohio. It is expected to be fully operational in the next 12 months.
Pet Food Factory
The new factory in Eden has already created more than 300 new roles, and the company plans to add more personnel in the future.
Around 80% of the 1.3-million-square-foot facility has been repurposed from a former brewery's existing structure.
It features several modern technologies, including the first-ever vertical dryer in a Purina US factory as well as automated systems in warehousing and the freezer space.
It also boasts a first-of-its-kind manufacturing experience centre, designed to introduce modern manufacturing to the next generation of workforce.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper commented, "We continued to believe that the brewery in Eden could be used for a new manufacturer and we are excited that with this grand opening, Nestlé Purina is ready to make a new home in North Carolina with 300 new employees.
"They will find here a well-trained, dedicated and diverse workforce along with support for their efforts to have this new plant embrace renewable energy and sustainability."
