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Source: Erie Times-News, Pa.迷你倉Jan. 23--WATERFORD -- Access to new markets, the availability of an empty facility and abundant raw materials -- they were all reasons for Minnesota-based KLN Family Brands to buy the former Troyer Farms plant.But there was another, more important consideration.Company officials, who expect to be making chips and other snacks by late spring, say a pool of experienced workers is what sealed the deal.Family-owned KLN, which also makes candy and pet food in its other divisions, makes a variety of salty snacks under the name Barrel O'Fun Snack Foods.The Barrel O'Fun plant in Waterford will focus on kettle-cooked potato chips, extruded snacks, popcorn and, eventually, caramel corn.The company, which makes mostly private label chips and other snacks, expects to hire 80 to 100 employees initially and is likely to quickly increase that number to 150, said Kevin Keil, the company's general manager.But the growth might not end there.The company expects it could quickly outgrow the 160,000-square-foot building in Waterford Township.The existing building is being renovated for the installation of new equipment. Eventually, Keil said, the company plans to expand production into a new facility and convert the existing building to a warehouse.That could boost employment at the plant to as high as 250 or 300 people.Charlie Nelson, vice president of sales and marketing and one of the company's owners, said the location held a geographic appeal for his company, which has a plant in Phoenix in addition to its main facility in Perham, Minn."We knew we needed to be out east in general," he said. "Freight is a challenge for us, especially with shipping salty snacks. It's a very light product, and you have to be near the population base."The Waterford location also gives the plant ready access to potatoes, hundreds of acres of which are grown in the Waterford area.That wasn't thmini storage most important consideration, however."Certainly the most appealing to us are the people," said Nelson, whose company employs about 1,250. "We will be able to bring on people who have some experience and know what they're doing. That's the key for us."John Elliott, president of the Greater Erie Industrial Development Corp., which is seeking permits for a $7 million project to build an on-site water-treatment plant and to extend municipal water to the plant, said he's been impressed by KLN."There are a couple things that really impress me," he said. "I came to appreciate the way they treat their employees, and their customer satisfaction speaks to the quality of the company and its management."Company officials aren't saying exactly how much the new jobs will pay.Keil did say that pay would be above minimum wage and that the company offers an extensive package of benefits that includes health insurance, paid vacations, a 401(k) retirement plan, profit-sharing and housing loans for employees with more than three years of tenure.The company's attention to environmental sustainability and the well-being of its employees is reflected in a name change made several years ago to KLN Family Brands, Nelson said."We try to stress family in everything we do," he said. "Our people work hard, and we have a lot of loyalty to them. We do try to care about our employees and have them benefit from our growth."Nelson said he's hopeful that an experienced workforce will help make the company a success."We certainly hope to start working closely with people who have some experience in what we do," he said. "We are excited to see that coming together."JIM MARTIN can be reached at 870-1668 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNmartin.Copyright: ___ (c)2014 the Erie Times-News (Erie, Pa.) Visit the Erie Times-News (Erie, Pa.) at .GoErie.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存