HOUSTON COUNTY, Georgia — When driving down I-75 towards Perry, you may notice a big sign that says "Jack Links coming soon." It turns out, not nearly as soon as originally planned.
The company says the new plant originally set to open this fall, actually won't be here until Summer 2025.
Jack Links, which makes beef jerky and other meat-forward snacks, announced that they are opening up a plant on Perry Parkway that is set to bring 800 jobs to the area.
If you pass the location, you will see construction crews out working on plumbing and laying down concrete.
Lisa Oster, a PR person with Jack Links, says they are also laying a building pad. She says in late 2023 progress on the project will be more visible.
Oster blames economic conditions on the late open.
Angie Gheesling with the Houston County Development Authority says a project of this size typically takes two years to construct. She says they're facing supply chain issues similar to what you may have noticed when buying home appliances.
"There's some things in transit that we don't know when they'll get here, including putting a large transformer in just for the power company to serve them," Gheesling said.
Gheesling says the plant is still something to get excited about. She says it's set to bring about 800 jobs.
"We've always been an employer that draws from the outlying counties, so I think that there's a lot of opportunity for folks as far as 45 miles from here," she said.
The project costs $450 million, making it one of the largest projects announced to come to a rural area in Georgia in 2022.
"Significant investment. That's a great project to win. For this one, it was kind of all hands on deck, everyone wanted a win because it's going to have such an impact," she said.
She says it will even benefit the business community.
"The impacts [are] far greater than just for the company itself. It's the businesses that come as a result of that, that also are going to benefit greatly from having them here," she said.
Gheesling says the wait will be well worth it. She thinks folks will appreciate the company's values.
"Stewardship, relationship-driven, which that's what were all about in Houston County," she said.
The company employed a project engineer for the plant and is looking for a project manager. All other employees will be hired closer to the opening. You can look for updates on those jobs here.
Gheesling says Central Georgia Technical College will be a great help in preparing employees for the opening.
"There's space that's been dedicated to Jack Links, so that they can train their employees, so in essence, you've got employees going through training, on the kind of equipment that they will be working with and when the doors open July 2025. You have employees ready to walk in and go to work, so you can see what a tremendous benefit that provides," Gheesling said.