A Galesburg-based manufacturer of high-quality meat snacks continues to expand its footprint in the region.
The Galesburg city council on Monday approved a $100,000 major project grant with Thrushwood Farms Quality Meats Inc., which is a division of Western Smokehouse Partners, as part of a $22 million expansion at its facility at 2680 W. Main St.
City Manager Eric Hanson said the project will increase production capacity at the facility and create 50 new positions there with an average annual wage of over $40,000. New positions will include packing, processing, and maintenance technicians, with hiring to begin this fall.
“This will move that particular location up to 191 employees,” Hanson said.
Backed by the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, the grant comes from the city’s economic development fund. It’s separate from previous development agreements that have supported the company’s growth in Galesburg.
In May of last year, the city agreed on a $300,000 incentive for Western Smokehouse Partners to maintain its headquarters in downtown Galesburg for at least a decade, and to add additional administrative positions there, as well as additional ones at the West Main Street plant.
Then in October of last year, the council approved a $1 million development agreement with Thrushwood Farms Quality Meats, as part of the company’s $50 million investment to add 180 manufacturing jobs and expand production in an unused portion of Galesburg’s former Maytag plant.
Hanson said production in the former Maytag plant could be up and running by Oct. 1.
“I think they reported this week that they'd be up over 350 manufacturing jobs by the end of the year, which is no small feat,” Hanson said.
Ward 7 Council Member Steve Cheesman called Western Smokehouse’s expansion in Galesburg the largest economic event to occur in Galesburg in a long time.
“To have manufacturing jobs that will pay well in a company that is just very, very respected with owners that are local, this is good news in all kinds of ways,” Cheesman said. “It just continues to build good momentum for us economically in a time when it's been difficult to do.”
Western Smokehouse Partners is also expanding in Burlington. The company is planning an $18 million of its factory there, which will be supported by up to $500,000 in TIF incentives.
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