OREANDA-NEWS. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) will build a multi-category manufacturing facility in Berkeley County, West Virginia, in the Eastern Panhandle of the state near the town of Tabler Station. When the plant opens in 2017, it will be one of the most advanced and sustainable plants among P&G’s global manufacturing and supply-chain operations.

The more than one million square-foot facility represents a capital investment of approximately \\$500 million and will produce multiple P&G brands when it is fully operational. Currently, P&G’s U. S. operations include 29 plants in 21 states. This will be P&G’s first plant in West Virginia and only its second new site in the U. S. since 1971.

The new, multi-category manufacturing plant is part of a redesign of P&G’s North American supply network. “This new plant will leverage economies of scale and standardized manufacturing platforms to P&G’s advantage by allowing us to produce multiple brands at one strategic location,” said Yannis Skoufalos, P&G’s Global Product Supply Officer.

The Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia also positions P&G to utilize its new distribution center network, which includes large facilities in Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. “This will enable us to rapidly and efficiently serve retail customers and consumers throughout the eastern half of the United States, reaching 80% of them within one-day transit,” added Skoufalos.

“This is a significant investment by Procter & Gamble and a huge win for the state of West Virginia,” said Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. “As the world’s leading consumer-goods manufacturer, P&G is one of the most reputable companies in the world and is a superb employer. In the initial phase, the facility will create over 1,000 construction jobs, and, when it opens, will employ approximately 700 full-time, highly skilled P&G workers. We are excited to welcome Procter & Gamble to West Virginia, and we look forward to a strong working relationship with the company for many decades to come.”

“This investment is about the future of P&G’s entire supply chain from sourcing raw materials to production and distribution,” said Mr. Skoufalos. “It integrates our valued external business partners and contractors as well as P&G employees. We look forward to working with our new partners in West Virginia, as well as being a good corporate citizen in the region, for many years to come. I would like to thank the local officials in Berkeley County as well as the West Virginia state officials, especially Governor Tomblin, who made this project a reality.”