Area company to add 80 jobs

NEWPORT, Ind. (WTHI) - An area pet supply company is adding on and adding jobs!

Scott Pet Products Incorporated is re-locating a manufacturing plant to Indiana and adding 80 new jobs.    

Tuesday, Scott Pet announced plans to move their operations from Oklahoma to Newport, Indiana.   

Officials say they wanted to bring more of the company closer to its headquarters, based in Rockville, Indiana.   

They’re hiring 80 employees for the new Vermillion County facility. This is on top of the current 110 employees working at the headquarters.

The operations are moving into a pre-existing 32-thousand square foot building that will contain a manufacturing and distribution warehouse.

It's part of the nine-acre campus in the Vermillion Rise Mega Park.  

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Scott Pet up to $70,000 in training grants after hearing the company's proposal. 

Vermillion Rise officials say they're excited about the opportunity to help bring in new jobs.

Vermillion County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. I believe we're only second to Sullivan County. and so to get these new jobs is critical to us. It's a really good shot in the arm,” said Susan Snider, marketing director of Vermillion Rise.

The state also offered Vermillion County up to a quarter of a million dollars from a grant fund to help with building improvements.

Officials say they expect it to be fully operational come January of 2013.  

If you’d like to apply for a job, head to their website .