Simmons Pet Food is making another major expansion in Emporia.
The company Monday announced plans to build another high-speed canning line, the fourth at its campus in southeast Emporia. President Scott Salmon says the new Emporia line will produce up to 60,000 pounds of wet pet food per hour, meaning the Emporia plant can produce more than 70 million cases or 1.6 billion units once construction is done in early 2024.
The fourth line builds on local production since 1998, starting with one production line and around 250 employees. The current operations includes the canned pet food plant and a flex plant producing pouches, cups and tubs. Total employment is above 1,500.
The Emporia expansion dovetails with a new distribution facility to be built in Edgerton and a second canned food line in Dubuque, Iowa. The Kansas projects reflect almost 180 new jobs.
Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking says the Simmons expansion could be just the start of additional economic growth locally, an area the city has been focusing on heavily for the past several years.
These are all components of Simmons’ $500 million strategic growth plan, which includes a sole focus on wet pet food and a corresponding exit from dry pet food and treat production.
Kansas Lt. Governor David Toland hailed the move, saying Simmons is “a leader in showing how a company can balance profits and the wellbeing of its team members. He also said the move represents the growth of the pet food industry. “This latest expansion will be another shining example of how private industry, a city entity and the citizens of Emporia can pull together to make our community the best it can be.”
KVOE News has reached out to company leadership for additional perspective.
