On Sept. 2, the City of Jerome, Idaho, announced that Specialty Sales – a company based in Fresno, California that specializes in hoof health products for dairy cows – will invest more than $2 million to build and equip a 30,000-square-foot operation.
Located on five acres in Jerome's Northside Development Industrial Park, the land will include space to build warehousing, product mixing facilities, processing equipment, storage tanks and an off/on loading area for rail spur and trucks, as well as office space.
According to the company, Specialty Sales LLC produces and distributes products along with automated systems that deliver hoof health products in an environmentally responsible manner while providing the most effective treatment available to cows.
"Jerome is an ideal location offering close freeway access, skilled labor and the key to our business, rail spur access," said Greg Petersen, president of Specialty Sales.
"Our Jerome facility will reduce customer response time and transportation costs, increase service frequency and improve the overall health of dairy cows for our customers in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Nevada."
Specialty Sales will hire between seven and 10 workers, offering high wages and medical benefits including dental, vision and a company-sponsored 401K retirement program.
Building of the rail spur and buildings will begin immediately with operations slated to begin in summer of 2015.
"Rail spur is central to our operations, allowing us to most efficiently receive raw materials in and finished products out to our customers," Petersen said. "This new rail spur to be built at our Jerome location will serve as the foundation of our operation, allowing us to remain competitive in the marketplace."
According to the Jerome City Mayor, Dave Davis, "Specialty Sales will be a great addition to the Northside Development Industrial Park, bringing good, high paying jobs to our community. We hope their facility will attract other tenants to this complex."
"Bringing Specialty Sales to Jerome will be a tremendous boost to the community," said Jan Rogers, executive director of Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization. "Their operation will have little to no environmental impact and will have little impact on Jerome's municipal services. And now, they will be neighbors to the many Jerome, Idaho, and regional dairies they service."
Founded in 1998, Specialty Sales now supports over 400 dairies (approximately 700,000 cows) that utilize their systems, products and services. The company states that their manufacturing process will require very little municipal services and zero discharge of manufacture-related waste into Jerome'ssewer systems. PD
—FromSouthern Idaho Economic Development Organization news release
