T

he largest food manufacturer in Italy is cooking up something special in Rochester, New York.
   Pasta-maker Barilla America Inc. and business partner Jacobson Warehouse Company Inc. have announced they will open their newest U.S. pasta-manufacturing and distribution facility on a 49-acre site in Avon, Livingston County,

Barilla America President and CEO Kirk Trofholz, center, talks with Village of Avon Mayor Thomas Vonglis after announcing the decision to locate a manufacturing plant in Avon, outside of Rochester, N.Y. Photo: courtesy of Livingston County Development Group

located outside of Rochester in New York's Finger Lakes Region.
   Barilla America – part of the Parma, Italy-based Barilla Group, the largest pasta manufacturer in the world – will invest $87.7 million in the facility, while Jacobson plans to invest $8.5 million. The 300,000 square-foot-facility includes a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and a 200,000-square-foot warehouse/distribution center.
   The project, which is scheduled to break ground in Summer 2006, is expected to start production in Summer 2007 and create 121 jobs over the next three years.
   "We sought a location that felt like a home away from home," said Barilla America President Kirk Trofholz. "Parma, Italy has been our home for almost 125 years, ever since Pietro Barilla opened his small pasta and bread shop. We were looking for a community that would provide the same hometown feel as Parma, as well as the right mix of benefits. We found all of that in Avon."
   "Barilla America's decision to create 121 new jobs and build a new $96.2-million plant in Avon is great news for the working families of Greater Rochester," Governor George Pataki said. "New York's Empire Zones program served as a powerful tool in helping us stay one step ahead in our efforts to attract Barilla to Livingston County, and we will continue supporting the pro-growth, pro-jobs policies that help New York's employers create even greater opportunities and incentives to grow, expand and create jobs across the State."
   Patrick Rountree, managing director of the Livingston County Development Group (LCDG),

Patrick Rountree, managing director of the Livingston County Development Group, thanks the team that helped make the Barilla project possible. Rountree was the team leader.

praised the team that worked together to attract Barilla to Avon.
   "There was no turf, no politics and no ideas ruled out. It was an astonishing accomplishment," he said. "This win is the result of the hard work and dedication of many partners, including Empire State Development, National Grid and Greater Rochester Enterprise."
   "It is always a good day when National Grid can welcome a new manufacturer to Upstate New York," said Marilyn Higgins, Vice President, Economic Development, National Grid. "We are pleased to have been a part of the tenacious team that refused to lose this opportunity for Western New York."
   Dennis Mullen, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), said the Barilla America-Jacobson facility is the perfect example of a collaborative project.
   "GRE works in a concerted effort to attract businesses to the Rochester Region," Mullen said. "I'm pleased that Barilla America recognized this Region's skilled workforce, quality of life, as well as accessibility and proximity to its Northeast customers. Livingston County and the State of New York are to be commended for their excellent work."
   "We cannot underestimate the significance of Barilla America's investment," Rountree said. "This project will inject millions of dollars into the local economy, further strengthen our food and agri-business base, and bring good-paying jobs to our area for generations to come."