RICHMOND, VA — Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. plans to invest $182 million to expand its manufacturing operation in King William County, VA.
Purina will add 138,000 square feet to increase capacity in the U.S. and Canada for its Tidy Cats litter products, including the LightWeight formulas such as Free & Clean Unscented. The project will also include an additional 100,000 square feet of warehouse space “leading to more efficient logistics management and expedited delivery of products to pets and pet owners,” according to a press release. The factory expansion is expected to be completed by late 2023.
Located in Virginia since 1997, Purina is King William County’s largest employer. The expansion in King William, which is part of the company’s network of 21 existing manufacturing facilities across the U.S., is part of a broader growth plan for Purina, which has recently announced new factories in other states.
“The investment in Virginia provides an exciting opportunity to strengthen our operations in King William,” said Purina Factory Manager Travis Gumbs. “We are committed to delivering the innovative litter solutions cat owners trust, with a continued focus on safety and sustainability in our operations. We are proud to be part of the King William community and look forward to many more opportunities to make a positive impact for pets and people.”
Purina is part of Nestlé, which employs more than 1,000 associates in Virginia. In addition to Nestlé Purina’s expanding pet food facility in King William, Nestlé maintains its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, operates a health sciences facility in Alexandria, and manages Nespresso facilities in Arlington and McLean.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with King William County to secure the project for Virginia. Gov. Ralph Northam approved a $2 million Virginia Investment Performance Grant, a performance-based incentive that encourages continued capital investment by existing Virginia companies.