FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today joined Shearer's Foods to announce the company will build a new 202,000-square-foot LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified manufacturing plant on 14 acres in Massillon's (Stark County) Nova Technology Park. The more-than $66 million investment will create 181 jobs at the new facility.

"Shearer's expansion is an excellent testament to the tremendous success the company has already achieved in Stark County," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "We applaud Shearer's commitment to environmental stewardship, and our administration is making a priority of supporting the growth of business and industry in an environmentally responsible manner."

Shearer's Foods, Inc., headquartered in Brewster, manufactures and distributes kettle-cooked chips, potato chips, tortilla chips, and extruded products. Shearer's Foods manufactures product under private brand names, as well as co-packing product for a multitude of industry customers including PepsiCo. Inc.'s Frito-Lay Inc., Giant Eagle Inc., and Gordon Food Service. Founded in Canton in 1974 by the Shearer family, the company employs more than 667 associates, with 560 jobs in Ohio. Maintaining its corporate headquarters in Brewster, Shearer's Foods will build the new facility to produce new snack food product lines and for possible future product lines, as well as for distribution and administrative offices.

The facility will be LEED Gold Certified and will comply with the U. S. Green Building Council's requirements for the reduction of energy and atmosphere emissions, water conservation, waste reduction, associate sustainability, and minimization of the site's environmental footprint.

On January 28, 2008, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority awarded a 50-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to eight years valued at an estimated $612,909 over the term. The Ohio Department of Development also committed $100,000 in Ohio Investment in Training Program funds and $181,000 in Employment Screening and Recruitment Services through the County One-Stop.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Schlissberg at (614) 466-4133