A $14 million investment by Cobb in a new production facility including hatchery and quality assurance complex is taking shape at Lafayette in Macon County, Tennessee, USA.
Scheduled for completion in April 2011 the new hatchery/QA facility will incorporate the latest technology and be supplied by a network of 27 breeder farms currently under construction or planned by local farmers.
Cobb researched several rural locations before deciding on North Central Tennessee which meets critical criteria including isolation from other poultry, good access to a major airport, available workforce and a community based in agriculture. The complex will create over 70 new jobs for the surrounding area.
Cobb worked closely with the Tennessee Economic and Community Development Group (TECD) in obtaining the support of county and city officials for both the hatchery/QA facility and network of rearing and production farms in the surrounding countryside.
"Right from the start, communication and coordination with local officials was encouraging," says Dave Juenger, Cobb corporate services director. "Response times, support and identification of mutual goals to create long-term benefits for both the county and Cobb were evident."
The hatchery and QA facility is being built on a 10-acre (4-hectare) site in Monticello’s industrial park, with the support of over $500,000 in state funding from the City of Lafayette.
J Y Carter, Mayor of Lafayette, described the relationship with Cobb as ’very positive’: "We look forward to the jobs coming into town. Once we saw Cobb was interested in us, we got interested in Cobb and strived to facilitate their move into the city at every corner we encountered."
Shelvy Linville, Mayor of Macon County, commented: "I am anxious for Cobb to get the hatchery and QA facility built for two reasons. It will create much needed jobs for Macon County citizens and secondly put to rest the negative speculation surrounding this project by showing people what Cobb and the business is really about. Cobb is going to be good for our retailers and add to the economic activity of the county."
Cobb has opened an office there and the new complex manager, Randy Yates, has moved to the region, with Keith Harper appointed hatchery manager. Randy Yates is responsible for overseeing construction and management of the hatchery facility, and getting the 27 new, two-house farms built by local farmers over the next three years.
