Nestlé Purina's $550M construction progresses

In 2020, Nestlé Purina PetCare announced a $550 million investment to construct a new factory in Williamsburg Township. Good Day Clermont! met with Mike Ferritto, the factory manager, to discuss the progress of this ongoing project.

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Plans for the 1.2 million-square-foot facility began well into the first wave of COVID-19 business closures. The project aimed to meet the growing demand for nutritious pet food nationwide. This facility will mark the first Purina factory to open since 1975.

Plans for the new factory in Williamsburg Township.

Despite a dramatic downturn in the national job market this year, the Purina factory offers Clermont residents an opportunity to earn a decent wage near home. Ferritto expressed optimism about the project and emphasized its positive impact on both the local economy and the labor force.

“I think we have about 340 full-time employees today,” Ferritto said. “And the vast majority of them are local.”

Ferritto also expects the $550M investment to increase tax revenue in Clermont County, bolstering its economy.

As part of Nestlé Purina’s mission to give back to the community, the organization will host a pop-up food pantry later this month for Cares Day.

Nestlé Purina continues to be a major financial contributor to Clermont-based organizations and public services. Last year, the company donated $39,400 to support the Union Township Police Department and Williamsburg Township Emergency Services. These significant investments for the wellbeing of Clermont County families remains a core part of Purina's mission during the construction of the new facility.

Factory manager Mike Ferritto.

According to Ferritto, Williamsburg Township and the surrounding communities in Clermont County were the best place to break ground for this massive construction project.

“It’s a great place to raise a family. We found the transition to be easy.” Ferritto said about his move from Flagstaff, Arizona, to Clermont County, where he began working as the factory’s manager. He joked that the area is much hillier than some of the states he’s lived in, but he was happy to be part of this growing community.

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At the end of winter, the Nestlé Purina plant opened its regional distribution center and began shipping products to customers. “It’s really coming alive right now,” Ferritto explained. The factory is currently in a commissioning phase, and management expects to begin qualifying products toward the end of the summer.

Although the factory is still under construction, job and operational growth will continue to expand well into 2027.

Nestlé currently employs 3,300 people across the state of Ohio, primarily staffing the Nestlé USA, Nestlé Professional, Nestlé Foodservice, and Nestlé Purina brands.

Good Day Clermont! invites residents seeking employment to apply for positions at the Williamsburg Purina plant by visiting nestle.jobs.com.

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