Iowa: Aga begins construction on plant

Iowa: Aga begins construction on plant

	Published : Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:44 By : Agencies Print this Story

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - The new owners of Amana Commercial Products said it has begun construction of its new Iowa manufacturing plant.

Solihull, England-based Aga Foodservice Group, a producer of premium range cookers, ovens and refrigerators for the domestic, commercial and bakery markets, said it broke ground for the new $6 million factory in southwest Cedar Rapids on Wednesday. The company expects to spend another $3 million for equipment and furnishings.

The plant will be the new site for the design, development and production of Amana and Menumaster brands of commercial microwave ovens. It will be part of Aga's U.S. division, Aga Commercial Products Inc., which is based in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Production of the company's Amana commercial microwaves will be moved from its current location in Middle Amana.

Aga bought Amana Commercial Products from Whirlpool Corp. on Sept. 7, 2006. It has obtained licenses to sell its commercial microwaves under the Amana name.

Amana was a brand owned by Maytag Corp. until Whirlpool bought Maytag in March 2006. Whirlpool continues to sell Amana branded home appliances including cooking and laundry appliances and dishwashers.

The company's Amana refrigerators are still being manufactured at the Middle Amana plant.

Aga has said it expects to create 112 jobs when production begins late this year at the new plant.

About 30 nonunion employees were expected to transfer from Middle Amana to the new plant, said Iain Whyte, president of Aga Foodservice Inc.

The new 90,000-square-foot plant -- 72,000 square feet for manufacturing and short-term warehousing and 18,000 square feet for office space -- will be located on 5.6 acres.

Aga Commercial Products is the international market leader in commercial microwaves used by fast food and casual dining chains.

The parent company, Aga Foodservice Group, a United Kingdom publicly traded company, is a global producer of premium range cookers, ovens and refrigerators for the residential, foodservice and bakery markets.