3 days ago
Perry business owners and residents react to potential 500 jobs from JBS plant
PERRY, Iowa — JBS USA announced Thursday that it plans to build a $135 million state-of-the-art facility in Perry to process sausages.
Dirk Cavanaugh, the Mayor of Perry, said that JBS could bring up to 500 Jobs.
'It's going to start out with a single shift plant, 250 employees, and hopefully within a few years they'll ramp up to double shift and have around 500 people working there,' Cavanaugh said.
Darryl Pettigrew, a caterer in Perry, said he noticed a downturn in business after the Tyson Plant closed last year.
'Prior to that year, before sales went down pretty, quite, quite a bit. So, even a lot of people right here on the, right here downtown said the sales have dropped and they've noticed a lot of people have already left town,' Pettigrew said.
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Pettigrew said he is hopeful that the new JBS plant will bring more jobs to the community.
'I mean, 500 people, that's a lot. So, Perry is hopeful,' Pettigrew said.
Choy Mangor, a former Tyson plant worker, stayed in Perry after the plant closed.
Mangor said he wants jobs to come to Perry, even if it takes time.
'I don't know how long it would take, but it will help out my town, you know, it will help a lot,' Mangor said.
Betsy Peterson, the owner of Betsy Peterson Designs, LLC, said she's excited to have diverse manufacturing come to Perry.
'Perry's been really a great community to integrate and accept and enjoy each other's cultures and diversity. So, bring it on. We're ready. Yeah, it's going to be fun. And then the Axel company that's coming from Italy, we're excited about that too. That just diverse to find the manufacturing here,' Peterson said.
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