Tribune Star 11-14-18
Saturn Petcare, pending approval of its bid Tuesday before the Vigo County Redevelopment Commission, is slated to begin production of wet dog food in the first quarter of 2020 in the former Pfizer facility at the Vigo County Industrial Park, south of Terre Haute.
The company bid on 127 acres in the industrial park, of which the average of two appraisals is $6,183,500.
However, as part of an agreement with the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp., the company bid $1 for the land, in exchange for investing $39 million in the former Pfizer facility at the industrial park and creating 200 jobs in five years, said Steve Witt, THEDC president.
Kevin McManus, chief financial officer for Saturn Petcare Inc., said the company’s jobs will pay an average of $18.60 per hour. The plant, if all goes on schedule, could begin test production in the fourth quarter of 2019, with full production underway in 2020, McManus said.
“About four years ago, we can across Terre Haute as an opportunity,” McManus said. “We kept in touch and when Steve [Witt, president of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corp.] had an opportunity, he approached us and we said, ‘Sure, let’s talk.’”
McManus said the plant will make 3.5-ounce aluminum trays of wet dog food, with the possibility of adding larger canned food production in the future.
“We are selling it mostly as private label, so you will not see the Saturn Petcare label on the shelf anywhere. You will see our product in Aldi, Walmart and Tractor Supply under their labels,” McManus said. “It is the Ol’ Roy label in Walmart, in Aldi under Pure Being label and in Tractor Supply under 4Health label.”
The bid was taken under review for 30 days. The Vigo County Redevelopment Commission will meet again at 4:15 p.m. Dec. 13 to vote, pending legal review.
Saturn Petcare GMBH, part of the Heristo-Group, has a production facilities in Bremen, Germany, with 700 employees and in Hattem, Netherlands with 250 employees, that produce dog food in 3.5-ounce aluminum trays, said Karl Spiess-Knafl, managing director of Saturn Petcare GMBH, based in Germany.
Terre Haute will be the company’s first U.S.-based production facility.
Spiess-Knafl said he is in charge of hiring a plant manager and human resources manager to head the facility, then work to hire the facility’s workforce.
“We will support in terms of knowledge and training from Germany,” he said. “A full factory team should be made of locals from the United States. We will build a strong management team here on site that will take ownership of the place and integrate into the community,” Spiess-Knafl said.
Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.
