8 April 2008 - On April 8, 2008, Shearer's Foods, Inc. will officially announce their plans to build the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Gold Certified food manufacturing plant in the State of Ohio. Chief Executive Officer Bob Shearer and the Shearer's Management Team will be joined by an invitation-only gathering of local and state officials including Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, when making the announcement at the Shearer's corporate headquarters in Brewster, Ohio.
With LEED Gold Certification, this facility will comply with the U. S. Green Building Council’s requirements for the reduction of energy and atmosphere emissions, water conservation, waste reduction, associate sustainability, and minimization of the site’s environmental footprint. This new facility represents Shearer’s firm commitment to the social responsibilities of our community and our environment.
Schumacher Construction has been selected to build the new facility on a 14-acre site in the Nova Technology Park located in Massillon, Ohio. John Picard of Canton, Ohio, with more than 20 years of innovative design experience, has been selected as the site architect. Ground breaking is planned for mid-July 2008 with production in the new facility targeted for the summer of 2009. The 150,000 square foot facility will house manufacturing and warehouse operations as well as the Shearer’s corporate offices. The new facility is being constructed in response to tremendous growth in market demands, as well as new product development opportunities. Shearer’s is the nation’s leading producer of kettle-cooked potato chips.
“Support of our local economy and the retention of vital manufacturing jobs in the area are key factors in our decision to build our new plant in Massillon,” says Bob Shearer. “Mayor Frank Cicchinelli, Jr. has thrown out the red carpet by offering incentives mutually beneficial to the City of Massillon and Shearer’s Foods.” To further encourage Shearer’s to build in Massillon, the State of Ohio has extended a comprehensive incentive package including valuable associate training support. In turn, Shearer’s has committed to the creation of at least 180 new full-time jobs and the retention of 178 existing full-time jobs at the new facility. Since Shearer’s last major Brewster expansion, which was completed in 1998, the company’s employee count has risen from less than 200 to more than 668 associates companywide.
Scott W. Smith, President and Steve Surmay, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, will be overseeing this project with the assistance of Chris Tallman, Sustainability Manager, Scott Weyandt, Facilities Manager and Fritz Kohmann, CFO. With the addition of the new facility, it is important to note that distribution will continue from Shearer’s current location in Massillon and manufacturing will continue at the existing plants in Brewster and Lubbock, Texas.