(The Center Square) — A global manufacturer of pet food ingredients plans to invest more than $79 million in a new Columbus facility.
AFB International plans to create more than 100 new jobs over the next five years. The St. Charles, Missouri-based company develops, manufactures and sells palatant ingredients that make pet foods and supplements taste better, helping ensure pets receive needed nutrients.
The project is located in a “Military Zone,” meaning it can create fewer jobs to qualify for Job Tax Credits, incentives that eliminate a company’s corporate tax liability and potentially reduce its payroll withholding requirements. State officials declined to release more information about potential tax incentives offered to the company, saying it remains an active project.
“Additional details will become available once the project is no longer active,” Jessica Atwell, a Georgia Department of Economic Development communications specialist, told The Center Square.
AFB’s new facility, located at the Muscogee Technology Park, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development Certified site, is expected to start operations in 2024. The state provided Quick Start training through the Technical College System of Georgia to help evaluate workers, develop customized job-specific training and train new employees.
“AFB perfectly aligns with Georgia’s spirit of collaboration and innovation, and we are excited for the jobs and opportunities their new facility will create for local communities,” GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson said in an announcement. “Urgency of customer demand has been a key challenge for many companies in the last year.”
By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor
