The vitamin and supplement company Pharmavite plans to build a new facility in Opelika that will bring $74 million in capital and 280 jobs to Opelika.
"The new facility is part of Pharmavite's strategic plan to capitalize on the growing global consumer trends on health and wellness and meet increased demand for our products," said Mark Walsh, chief operating officer at Pharmavite. "As Pharmavite has continued to grow, a large percentage of our customers are in the eastern United States. We are constantly looking for ways to better serve our customers and this new facility in Opelika, Ala., will support this."
Based out of Northridge, Calif., Pharmavite is a manufacturer of dietary supplements as well as soy-based, all-natural snack bars. Their products are distributed worldwide, including Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, South Korea and Iran.
"This is a great day for the city of Opelika," said Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller. "Pharmavite is an exceptional company and we look forward to a great partnership, and I am glad to welcome them to our community."
Construction for the plant is scheduled to start later this year. The initial operations are scheduled to begin in early 2013. The facility will be built on a 50-acre site in the Northeast Opelika Industrial Park and will initially be more than 300,000 square feet.
Pharmavite expects to employ approximately 280 employees in the first year and add employees in the coming years. A few managerial positions are expected to be filled this year, but recruiting for the majority of positions will begin in June 2012.
"Locally, the decision to build this facility in Opelika is extremely important because not only will it create 280 jobs initially, it will bring some much-needed diversification to our local manufacturing base," said Lori Huguley, director of Opelika Economic Development.
With the economy wavering and unemployment stagnant, 280 new jobs will not only have a large impact on the surrounding area, but on the state of Alabama, Huguley said.
"From a state perspective, it will open a new avenue of manufacturing to recruit to the state," Huguley said. "The selection of Opelika, Ala., by Pharmavite, who is one of the leaders in this industry, serves as a notice to others in this market that the state of Alabama is ready to do business in this industry."
Various locations were evaluated during the selection process, but Pharmavite representatives said they felt Opelika was the best fit for their new facility.
"From the high-quality workforce to the strong community infrastructure, Opelika met or exceeded our expectations, and we're excited to be joining such a great community," said Ron Pillsbury, vice president of operations at Pharmavite.
For more information visit www.pharmavite.com.
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