A Japanese company is preparing to build its first U.S. production facility in Peachtree City off Ga. Highway 74 south near TDK Boulevard in the city’s industrial park.
Calpis Inc. is expected to employ 42 people on its 11.84 acre campus, according to a project description submitted to the city from InSpec Group of Atlanta. The company’s development plans were revealed to the Peachtree City Planning Commission Monday night.
Calpis will use the facility to “manufacture additives for animal feed utilizing a process of culturing, drying and grinding a soybean-based product into a probiotic additive in powder form,” according to a memo from city staff.
Calpis wants to build a 36,370 square-foot production building along with a separate 10,136 sq.-ft. office building. The site plan also includes a potential expansion of the manufacturing building in the future at the rear of the property, according to city staff.
According to its website, Calpis manufactures products such as “uniquely flavored beverages, health supplements and animal feed additives.”
The animal feed additives are designed to increase the health of farm animals including laying and breeding hens, pigs, horses, dogs and more. Calpis has offices in Torrance, Calif.
Because of the proposed use, the city’s fire marshal and the Peachtree City Water and Sewer Authority have been working with Calpis on the project, according to city staff.
The company has been working with the city’s planning staff for several months over several issues surrounding the site plan, and those issues were taken care of to the point where city staff recommended approval of the plan at Monday’s commission meeting. The parcel is zoned for industrial use and thus the Calpis project qualifies under the city’s zoning ordinance, according to city staff.
Of the 42 projected employees, Calpis calculates that 30 of them will be plant operators while four will be in research and development and the remaining eight will be office personnel.
Calpis estimates it will spend $15 million in building the facility, which will be located just south of the Lawson Mardon packaging plant.
Calpis will have a 150-foot tree save area off all of Dividend Drive except for its two access drives.
