Tag Archive for: #marspetcare

Mars Petcare building exterior with flagpoles and a blue, sunny sky

H-V Chamber Of Commerce Networking To Help Mars Employees After News Of Plant Closing

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With the recent announcement that the Mars Petcare plant will close its doors in the next few months, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson said she and her staff will be doing all in their power to support the 150 employees who will be without jobs when the facility ceases production.

“Let me just say right up front that we’re just deeply saddened by the announcement of the closing of Mars,” Wilkerson told WIZS News Tuesday. She said the plant, which makes Iams and Eukanuba pet foods, has been a long-standing member of the local business community. The closing not only has an impact on the employees and their families, she said, but it also affects the broader economic health of Vance County and the larger region.

Wilkerson said Mars has been an important contributor and partner of the local Chamber, providing income that helped fuel the local economy, as well as jobs and support in the community.

“Of course, this was devastating for us to hear but we have jumped into action,” Wilkerson said, after Mars reached out to the Chamber. “We’re going to work alongside the local, state and the workforce partners that we have and try to connect these displaced workers with the resources that they need for job opportunities and support during this transition,” Wilkerson said. This is a difficult period, she said. “They’re devastated, the 150 employees, and so are we.”

And while the Chamber staff can’t go out and create jobs, they can work to connect with other partners who may be able to help. Through networking and identifying resources, Wilkerson said the Chamber can provide opportunities for those displaced workers.

“We’re going to try to move forward with this and encourage the business community to come together and support those that are affected,” Wilkerson said, while sending the message to the employers to continue investing in the strength and the future of our community.

If you would like to reach the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, then call 252 438-8414 or email sandra@hendersonvance.org.

Mars Petcare building exterior with flagpoles and a blue, sunny sky

Mars Petcare Plant in Henderson to Close in July

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Henderson’s Mars Petcare plant, which employs about 150 people, will cease production in mid-June and will close for good sometime in July.

Spokesperson Lindsay Kordik spoke with WIZS News Monday afternoon and confirmed the closing.

Kordik said the Henderson location “is, at this time, yes, the only one closing.”

The company is working with the affected employees to help them find employment at other plants or otherwise help them with transition assistance in advance of the closing.

There is another Mars Petcare plant in Cary.

The spokesperson said the employees had been notified.

There was no information readily available about what will happen to the facility, located within the Industrial Park.

Kordik said, “As a business we are continuously evaluating the needs of our customers, pet parents and their pets, and right now we are redistributing this volume within our U.S. network. Essentially, that’s the rationale that I can share.”

The closure here is not for a specific product demand reason. “It’s really just simplifying our organization overall and right sizing our operations,” she said.

The decision is final, and “it was not made lightly.”

When essentially asked why a few different ways, Kordik said to a question about investments elsewhere needing to result in trimming here, “Directly, no. It’s really just driving efficiency in our operations to deliver across our network.”

Vote Daily To Keep Two Local Products In Running For “Coolest Thing Made In NC” Contest

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Two Vance County businesses are in the running for a statewide honor, and voting is now underway to choose the “Coolest Thing Made in NC” by the N.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Now it’s up to the community to vote via email to make sure the local businesses get to the next round.

Henderson-Vance Chamber President Michele Burgess told WIZS Thursday that not one, but two local products have been nominated and she said it’s a “really BIG deal.”

For the past few years, the NC Chamber has held a statewide contest, she said.

“Two of our Henderson companies were named!  Way to go, Country Snacks Mfg. for your pork skins product and MARS Petcare for your Nutro Dog Food!” Burgess said in an email statement to WIZS.

Burgess said she nominated the County Snacks pork skins because Carolina Country Snacks recently was named the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year. “And then to see that MARS was also selected is just icing on the cake,” Burgess noted. “Both are worthy products for sure.”

Visit coolestthingmadeinnc.com , search for the two products, and vote!  “The 10 semifinalists will be announced on Thursday, Sept. 8, and that doesn’t give us much time to take action,” Burgess said. A total of 80 products are in the first round, but Burgess is encouraging the community to vote for the two Vance County products to keep them in the running for the ultimate award.

The field of candidates narrows with each round of voting, and the winning product will be revealed on Thursday, Oct. 6, the day before National Manufacturing (MFG) Day. October is Manufacturing Month, and MFG Day, organized nationally by the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute, highlights the rewarding career opportunities of modern manufacturing.

A couple of details about the voting process:

 

  • A voter may vote once per day per valid email address.
  • Use valid email addresses; invalid addressed will be expunged from vote totals.
  • Nominated products will advance through multiple rounds of voting, with the products receiving the highest votes in each round moving to subsequent rounds.
  • Vote totals will be reset at the beginning of each round.
  • Paid advertising to promote a product is not allowed. (Don’t think I didn’t consider this before reading the rules!) If a nominee is found to have used paid advertising to promote their product in the contest, they will be disqualified.  Nominated companies are encouraged to utilize social media, press, and other channels to promote their product in the contest, but they may also take a hands-off approach if they choose.

H/V Chamber Holds Ribbon Cutting for MARS Petcare Expansion

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A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for Mars Petcare US as they celebrated a $21M investment at an event on September 8th at the Henderson facility. Mars Petcare, one of the world’s leading pet care providers, is expanding support for its existing facility in Henderson, which currently produces IAMS® and EUKANUBA® brand pet foods. Improvements planned for the facility will give the company increased flexibility to respond to consumer demand by producing more dog and cat food, as well as to ensure the site has the highest food safety standards for products made at the site.

The Mars Petcare investment in Henderson includes a significant renovation to the facility, which is underway and expected to be complete in mid-November. A number of upgrades are planned to increase productivity and quality, including an upgrade on the mill, new coating systems and two new baggers for the pet food manufactured here. The site, originally operated by Proctor & Gamble, was acquired by Mars Petcare as part of its acquisition of Proctor & Gamble’s pet food portfolio in August 2014.

“This investment from Mars Petcare sends a very strong message that the company values our community,” said Paco Tello, plant manager for the Henderson site. The Henderson investment is the latest in a series of significant economic investments Mars Petcare has made in local communities.

Mars Petcare continues be a global leader in food and quality safety by giving back to the communities where it operates. Locally, Mars Petcare has donated food and dog beds to area animal shelters and other organizations.

For more information on Mars Petcare, please visit www.mars.com.