Sheboygan,WI (WHBL) - Dozens of spectators braved the dank and chilly weather in Sheboygan on Thursday to witness the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future home of the Old Wisconsin Packaging and Distribution Center.
The 104,000 sq. ft. facility will be prominently located off Interstate 43, and Weeden Creek road.
Old Wisconsin already employs 250 people and is expected to hire an additional thirty people once the new site is up and running next spring.
Sheboygan Council President Don Hammond tells WHBL News that the company’s plans were a perfect match with Sheboygan’s overall economic development. “As part of the overall economic development plan we found property on the west side of the Interstate and we’re finally able to jump the interstate, and Old Wisconsin was looking for space and was able to take advantage of it," Hammond says.
In addition to the economic boost that is anticipated once the new facility is completed, Hammond says the new jobs will help to offset impending job losses in surrounding areas of Sheboygan County that are due to closures of other companies.
“Some of our local employers have already absorbed a lot of those jobs. They’re looking at another thirty-to-forty jobs and I have to imagine the skill sets that they have will fit quite nicely within the skill sets they’re looking at when this facility opens late next spring.”
Hammond hints that Old Wisconsin is just the beginning of announcements for what is expected to be a boon year for Sheboygan in the way of economic development.
“There are things in the works that our development office is constantly working on. There’ll be some things coming up in the next sixty days that I think will be pretty exciting.”