Gov. Jay Nixon today joined company leadership from the Pet, Home & Garden division of Spectrum Brands to announce the division’s selection of St. Louis as its expanded headquarters. The project includes a $1 million capital investment and will create 45 new jobs.
“Spectrum Brands’ decision to establish its Pet, Home & Garden division headquarters in St. Louis is a true testament to the strength of Missouri’s competitive business climate,” Gov. Nixon said. “With a perfect AAA credit rating, low taxes, and a workforce that’s second to none, Missouri has what it takes to compete and win in a growing global economy.”
The Pet, Home & Garden division was established through the recent merging by Spectrum Brands of its Global Pet and its Home & Garden operating units to create a more streamlined and efficient business. The Pet, Home & Garden division is a leading global supplier of specialty pet supplies and a major U.S. supplier of lawn and garden and home pest control products, and personal insect repellents.
“The newly-created Pet, Home & Garden Division of Spectrum Brands marks the next phase of our company’s continued growth and success,” said Randy Lewis, Senior Vice President and General Manager ofPet, Home & Garden. “We’re excited to expand our already well-established presence in the St. Louis region and continue growing our portfolio of well-known brands and products.”
The Pet, Home & Garden division is located in St. Louis County where it currently employs 132 workers. The company also has two manufacturing plants in the St. Louis area, employing an additional 431 personnel. To accommodate for its new headquarters, Pet, Home & Garden will lease 8,000 square feet of additional space in St. Louis to house a number of new management positions. The company plans to hire in its finance, marketing, supply chain management, and engineering departments.
“St. Louis County thanks the Pet, Home & Garden division of Spectrum Brands for its continued partnership in building our community, bringing both jobs and opportunities to the region,” said St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger.
Several industries, including professional services and manufacturing, were identified in the Governor’s Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth as top targets for next-generation job creation. Gov. Nixon has made attracting investments in these fields a priority of his administration. As a result, Missouri has garnered expansions from a number of companies operating in these industries including Littler Mendelson, Express Scripts, EaglePicher, and Faurecia.
To assist the Pet, Home & Garden business with its expansion in St. Louis, the Missouri Department of Economic Development has offered a strategic economic incentive package that the company can receive if it meets strict job creation and investment criteria. The Missouri Partnership worked closely with the company to recruit the expansion. The St. Louis Regional Economic Development Partnership and the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce also assisted the company with its expansion.