Mission Foods, one of Luzerne County's largest manufacturing companies, is expanding its operation in the Crestwood Industrial Park in Wright Twp.
Mission Foods has a 136,244-square-foot tortilla production facility at 15 Elmwood Road. The company has leased 40,153 square feet from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services to expand in a 110,000-square-foot building at 5-11 Elmwood Road, adjacent to its tortilla production facility, said Mericle spokesman Jim Cummings.
The company has outgrown its space and the expansion will support the firm's approximately 400 jobs, Mr. Cummings said. While it may create a few new jobs, the new space will primarily serve as overflow space, he said.
"Now that they have adequate space, it will certainly help their productivity, which may result in some new jobs," he said.
Mission Foods opened its manufacturing plant at 15 Elmwood Road in 2005 in a 110,000-square-foot industrial building Mericle constructed on speculation. Mission Foods purchased the building and later added 26,244 square feet to keep up with its local growth.
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Mission Foods has grown to become one of the largest producers of tortilla products, producing almost a quarter of all tortillas in the world.
"The company's tremendous growth completely maxed out their manufacturing facility," said Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker Jr. "Fortunately, we have exactly what they need right next door. Our space will take the pressure off the main plant and give them enough elbow room to sustain their growth."
Efforts to reach Mission Foods were unsuccessful.
Mr. Besecker said the fact that Mission now occupies two buildings that had originally been constructed by Mericle on speculation demonstrates the importance of the "Ready to Go" program, which involves preparing 90 "ready to go" sites and building dozens of speculative commercial buildings on about 1,700 acres it owns in 10 business parks in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.
"We feel it is critically important that we have a variety of existing options available when companies need space in our area," he said.
Mission Foods joins existing tenant HD Supply Utilities at 5-11 Elmwood Road. Mericle recently signed a lease for about 70,000 square feet with HD Supply Utilities, which is distributing transmission and distribution utility products from the property.
Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com
