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This Saturday photo shows the milk division of Saputo Inc. The company has announced plans to double the size of its Brandon operation, adding 60 new jobs in 2014.
Dairy giant Saputo Inc. has announced it will double the size of its Brandon dairy plant, doubling the number of employment positions in 2014.
The city’s director of economic development Sandy Trudel made the announcement on Thursday via Twitter.
Plans are already underway for the Park Street East location, Trudel said, and construction is scheduled to start this spring.
"We’re currently working with them on the expansions plans right now and their hope is to start as soon as possible, definitely within spring of 2013," Trudel said.
Saputo manufactures, distributes and imports cheese, fluid milk, yogurt, dairy ingredients and snack-cakes. Included in the more than 600 brands the company owns are Dairyland, Neilson, Baxter and Vachon.
The plant’s expansion, according to Trudel, is meant to accommodate new products, including a cottage cheese line, which will be distributed throughout Western Canada.
"As a result of that … they will be — at minimum — looking at doubling their workforce, and maybe even more, so it could be closer to roughly 120 employees when all is said and done," she said.
In December, the company solidified its position as North America’s second-largest dairy company by purchasing American-based Morningstar Foods for US$1.45 billion — the biggest acquisition in Saputo’s history.
Aside from the jobs in Brandon the recently announced expansion will create, Trudel said the news speaks volumes about the business climate in Brandon.
"Obviously this speaks to the company’s confidence in the facility and staff and the business environment in which they are operating," she said. "From my perspective the addition of a new line strengthens the Brandon facilities position within Saputo’s operations which is good news for Brandon."
According to Trudel, 80 per cent of a community’s economic growth comes from within, meaning fostering retention and expansion of business already in the city, which has been a key focus for Brandon.
"Often a community spends their time chasing the next big external win and forgets about the potential for growing their economic base from those businesses that have already recognized the benefits of being located there," Trudel said.
In December, the $6-billion company announced it will close its pressed cheese plant in Winkler in 2014, coinciding with the expansion in Brandon. The Winkler closure will affect around 40 employees and the company cited the significant cost of updating the facility as a reason for the closure.
» gbruce@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition February 11, 2013
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Dairy giant Saputo Inc. has announced it will double the size of its Brandon dairy plant, doubling the number of employment positions in 2014.
The city’s director of economic development Sandy Trudel made the announcement on Thursday via Twitter.
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Dairy giant Saputo Inc. has announced it will double the size of its Brandon dairy plant, doubling the number of employment positions in 2014.
The city’s director of economic development Sandy Trudel made the announcement on Thursday via Twitter.
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