Simmons opens 275,000-SF pet food plant in Iowa
by July 23, 2021 9:03 am 3,249 views
Simmons Pet Food, a company of Siloam Springs-based Simmons Foods, recently opened the first phase of a $100 million plant in Iowa. The second phase is expected to be completed in April 2022.
The pet food company of Siloam Springs-based poultry producer Simmons Foods recently opened the first phase of a $100 million plant in Dubuque, Iowa.
The 275,000-square-foot Simmons Pet Food plant is expected to provide 270 new jobs when the second phase is completed in April 2022.
In December 2020, the company announced Dubuque would be the location for the first phase of its expansion plan to bring incremental production capacity of 168 million units of its wet pet food business. The addition of a second production line in Dubuque will bring total capacity to about 408 million units.
Simmons Pet Food selected Dubuque because of “their high-quality workforce, existing infrastructure to support operations and a business-friendly economic development team,” according to a news release.
“In slightly less than seven months Dubuque economic development and community leaders together with our team members, helped Simmons Pet Food take an important strategic step to expand our production capacity and deliver our customers the food that will nourish and delight the pets we love,” said Scott Salmon, president of Simmons Pet Food.
The plant is in the Dubuque Industrial Center at 501 Seippel Road and will have an estimated payroll of $13.7 million at full capacity.
“We are delighted that Dubuque is a member of the Simmons Pet Food family and now shares in our purpose to build strong relationships through the work of providing food for the pets we love,” said Todd Simmons, president and CEO of Simmons Foods.
Simmons also is completing a multi-million dollar expansion to the 134,000-square-foot plant at the site of its first chicken processing facility in Siloam Springs. The Simmons Pet Food plant at 316 N. Hico St. produces pet food and pet treats, and the 90,000-square-foot expansion will create space for three new production lines and an additional 150 jobs when completed this fall.