North Carolina state officials, community partners, and Nestlé Purina PetCare recently celebrated the official opening of the pet care company’s newest pet food factory in Eden, North Carolina. The grand opening celebration was the culmination of more than three years of work to bring the more than $450 million operation to life and establish Nestlé’s first manufacturing facility in the state.
“Demand for our products continues to grow and opening this new facility – our first manufacturing operation in North Carolina – allows us to better serve our customers, especially in the east and southeastern part of the country,” said Purina Chief Executive Officer Nina Leigh Krueger. “Our new factory in Eden is a big step to continue to meet that growing demand, and is the latest example of the continued investment being made in our US manufacturing network. We are grateful for the support and partnership across the region, and we are confident I’m building a facility, and a passionate team, that will represent this community with pride for generations to come.”
The new Purina factory in Eden has already created more than 300 new positions, with plans to add more staff in the future. Between 2020 and 2025, Nestlé is on track to invest $2 billion in Purina factory expansion and capital projects to enhance its manufacturing footprint. A 24th factory is currently under construction in Williamsburg Township, Ohio, and is expected to be fully operational within the next 12 months. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper acknowledged the significant investment and commitment from all parties to make the facility a reality.
“We continue 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, ” said Gov. Cooper. “They will find here a well-trained, committed and diverse workforce along with support for their efforts to embrace this new plant of renewable energy and sustainability.”
The grand opening celebration also featured North Carolina State Senator Phil Berger who spoke along with several other Purina leaders including Chief Technical Officer Nolan Terry, Manufacturing Vice President Casey Hansen and Eden Factory Manager Will Steiner. Rockingham County Economic Development Director Leigh Cockram also spoke on behalf of the region.
“Factory of the future”
The new 1.3-million-square-foot Purina facility in Eden – which reuses 80% of the former brewery’s existing structure – features several modern technologies that transform and improve the overall production process, including the first-ever vertical dryer installed in a Purina US factory as well as automated systems in warehousing and the freezer space. The new facility also features a first-of-its-kind Manufacturing Experience Center, designed to introduce modern manufacturing to the next generation of the workforce.
“We have been looking forward to this day for a long time and we are very grateful for the contributions of so many incredible associates who are working to bring this factory to life” said Will Steiner, factory manager of the new Purina factory in Eden. “So many amazing collaborations have gone into this project, but the most exciting thing is that we can now really work together and produce more of our pet food brands that pet owners love and trust. We have a great team in place to bring quality and safety standards to Eden.”
Located on 1,350 acres straddling the Virginia state line, the new Purina factory in Eden, North Carolina, marks Purina’s 23rd US manufacturing operation Eden will operate as a zero waste to disposal facility. Across its manufacturing network, Purina is working to conserve water and achieve 100% renewable electricity in its factories by 2025.
