Ajinimoto to expand plant, add employees

May 26, 2010, 08:29

It was good news in job growth in the county as the board of supervisors last week approved an application from Ajinimoto, USA, for participation in the Iowa High Quality Jobs Program. The state-run program allows tax incentives for industries that build or expand facilities, which will produce high-paying jobs.

Albia Industrial Development spokesman Dave Johnson briefed the board on the particulars and said Ajinimoto was planning a $36 million expansion that would add 25 new jobs to the existing 191. "They are expanding their Lysine plant and adding a new process that will make the product less expensive and more competitive with other companies," he said.

Johnson said that the expansion would be a three-year project that would eventually increase the number of employees at the plant but in the meantime the area will also benefit from the construction jobs it will generate. "It comes at a good time for construction jobs," he said.

Although the application still had to be approved bt the state of Iowa, Johnson saw no reason it wouldn't happen. When approved, Ajinimoto will be granted a five-year tax abatement, which is estimated at $156,000, for all real property improvements, but in the larger picture, Johnson said the expansion guarentees the industry will remain in the area. "They could go anywhere else, Asia most likely, but they stay where they are ad just keep investing. I am glad to see them adding jobs," he said.

Ajinimoto is located in the northeast corner of Monroe County across the river from Eddyville and adjacent to the Cargill facility.

See the rest of this news story in the Tuesday, May 25th, edition of the Monroe County News.