Shearer's Foods Inc., the nation's leading producer of kettle-cooked potato chips, is to build a plant in Massillon, Ohio, creating 180 new full-time jobs.
It will be the first LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environment Design - Gold Certified food manufacturing plant in Ohio.
Chief Executive Bob Shearer was joined by Lt. Governor Lee Fisher in making the announcement at the Shearer's corporate headquarters in Brewster, Ohio.
With LEED Gold Certification, the facility will comply with the U.S. Green Building Council's requirements for the reduction of energy and atmosphere emissions, water conservation, waste reduction, associate sustainability, and minimization of the site's environmental footprint.
The 150,00 square foot plant will be built on a 14-acre site in the Nova Technology Park in Massillon.
Ground breaking is planned for mid-July with production in the new facility targeted for the summer of 2009. The facility will house manufacturing and warehouse operations as well as the Shearer's corporate offices.
Shearer's was founded in 1974.