(Aurora, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman attended ground breaking ceremony for a major expansion of the local Iams Distribution Center to award $505,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to Hamilton County to help The Iams Co. purchase equipment for the new warehouse facility. Nearly 30 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the expansion.

"We continue our focus on developing new opportunities for communities of every size here in greater Nebraska, and I am very pleased we were able to help convince this company of the many benefits of expanding here in Nebraska," Gov. Heineman said.

The Iams Co. is building a 225,000 square ft. warehouse west of its existing facility, which will become a regional distribution center for the company's pet food products. Iams will use $500,000 from the county to purchase forklifts and other equipment used in warehousing operations. The remaining $5,000 will be available to Hamilton County to cover administrative costs.

Gov. Heineman was joined at the groundbreaking by Mike Schneider, director of Global Iams Product Supply, Richard Baier, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and representatives from Hamilton County and the Aurora Area Chamber & Development Corporation.

Kathy Brown, plant manager for Procter and Gamble Company (P&G) in Aurora, said, "Governor Heineman and the Department of Economic Development were instrumental in bringing this expansion to the Aurora facility, so we're thrilled they were able to attend the ground breaking ceremony. The state's dedication to economic development through grants and incentive programs makes this kind of investment in Nebraska possible."

Iams is owned by P&G which will invest an additional $11.5 million in the expansion. Construction is scheduled to completed by April 2006. The Hamilton County facility is the largest dry food plant in the Iams chain of manufacturing facilities.

The project funding is part of a program administered by DED that assists with the development of businesses and communities throughout the state. Federal funds are made available to Nebraska from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

CONTACTS:

Aaron Sanderford, Gov’s Office, 402-471-1967
Stew Jobes, DED, 308-385-6355, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it