AP — Sigma Alimentos has opened its first U.S. meat processing plant in Seminole, a $60 million factory that is to eventually produce 400,000 pounds of hot dogs and ham per day and employ 400 people.
The 129,000-square-foot processing plant, located on 40 acres at the Goodhope Industrial Park, officially opened Wednesday.
Sigma is Mexico's largest refrigerated food producer. The company markets its cold cuts, cheese, yogurt and other prepared food items in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the U.S.
It has applied to join the Oklahoma Commerce Department's Quality Jobs program, which offers financial incentives in the form of payroll rebates to companies that hire a set number of people over a specified time frame.
Seminole was selected after a search that included Texas, New Mexico and almost two dozen other locations in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma, and Seminole, won out for a combination of factors, said Sergio Ramos, president of the Mexican food company's international division.
"It's close to our major suppliers, and there was very strong support from officials here," he said.
Seminole, 60 miles east of Oklahoma City, lost about 700 jobs a few years ago when a Wrangler plant shut down, said Jack Mattingly, chairman of the Seminole Economic Development Council.
"This is our biggest event since," Mattingly said. "Seminole did something I've never seen before; they just went south and brought industry here."
Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
