More french fries than ever will come out of Hermiston after Lamb Weston cut the ribbon on a $250 million expansion of its processing plant, East Oregonian reports.
The 300,000-square-foot expansion increases the facility’s capacity and adds 150 full-time jobs to what was already Hermiston’s largest employer.
Chief Executive Officer Tom Werner told the audience at Thursday’s celebration that the facility was a very important part of Lamb Weston’s operations around the world, and represented one of many investments the company is making toward its future.
“It’s an exciting time to be with Lamb Weston,” he said.
According to a news release, the company is the “leading global supplier of frozen French fries and other potato products to restaurant customers around the world.” It employs more than 7,000 people at 25 manufacturing facilities in North America, China and Europe. At the Hermiston plant, 570 employees make approximately 750 million pounds of potato products per year. Other Hermiston residents commute to the company’s Boardman or Tri-Cities sites.
