Nelson Wholesale announced this week that it will locate a new pet food and pet product distribution facility in Columbia. the company will invest $2 million and will create 20 jobs.
Headquartered in Brownwood, Texas, Nelson Wholesale is relocating it’s distribution operations from Hammond, LA to Columbia where they will locate in the 100,000 square foot, former Orleans Furniture warehouse.
Marion County Developmental Partnership (MCDP) managed the project, putting together a collaboration in which the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) participated by providing assistance in support of the project for building improvements and equipment relocation. Mississippi Power is providing the company assistance through it’s energy efficiency program, as is Centerpoint Energy. The company will be working with the Marion County WIN Job Center to fill it’s job positions.
“MCDP put together a compete package through the work of a competent team. Team members included the Marion County Board of Supervisors, the City of Columbia Mayor and Board of Aldermen, MDA Project Manager Regina Todd, Mississippi Power Economic Development Representative Charlie Beasley, Centerpoint Energy Representative Charles Campbell and MCDP Project Manager Lori Watts. I want to thank them for their contributions to this project. Also, special thanks go to Attorney Joe Shepard and the staff of Foxworth & Shhepard, the MCDP Board of Directors, and Jeff Dungan of Dungan Engineering for their support and help,” said MCDP President Jerry Frazier.
“Over the time we’ve spent working with Nelson Wholesale President Cody Richmond and Chairman John Harkey, we’ve found them to be ‘salt of the earth’ type people,” said Frazier, “We anticipate that Nelson Wholesale will be a vibrant, contributing partner in our business community and we are pleased that we could help show them that Columbia/Marion County is the kind of place where they want to expand their business.”
Nelson Wholesale plans to begin operations in November.
