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Laurens: Industrial growth

Jack Link’s is adding to its workforce; ‘Busiest Little Town in Iowa’ is about to get busier

—Submitted photo
This aerial shot shows the Jack Link’s distribution center in Laurens. The company is expanding to incorporate the new refrigerated product line.

LAURENS — The Busiest Little Town in Iowa is about to see some growth thanks to an expansion that is expected to bring about 20 new jobs to town.

The Jack Link’s distribution center, located at 210 N. First St. in Laurens, is making some changes to its plant as a result of new products the company has introduced.

“We are excited to make some substantial investments in the Laurens distribution center,” Zach Sangster, vice president of customer supply chain, said. “Those changes include adding packaging and production lines to support our cold-crafted business.”

Sangster said about 20 jobs will be added to the distribution center.

The center will not be physically expanding, but rather repurposing an existing space.

—Submitted photo
Construction on the Jack Link’s distribution center in Laurens is ongoing to accomodate new products. Zach Sangster, vice president of customer supply chain, said the company is adding 20 new jobs to help with its new refrigerated product line, which includes beef and cheese sticks.

“We are rededicating a portion of the distribution center and creating a refrigerated production area as well as a refrigerated area,” Sangster said.

Jack Link’s launched a cold product line last year, which Sangster said has been very popular among its customers.

“We’ve gotten tremendous feedback from our customers and consumers about quality and the overall satisfaction,” Sangster said. “We will be ramping up our operation in Laurens.”

All refrigerated products will be distributed out of the Laurens facility, he said.

“As the business grows, we have the opportunity to add additional shifts,” he said.

—Submitted photo
Construction on the Jack Link’s distribution center in Laurens is ongoing to accomodate new products. Zach Sangster, vice president of customer supply chain, said the company is adding 20 new jobs to help with its new refrigerated product line, which includes beef and cheese sticks.

The products that Jack Link’s will be distributing include protein snacks such as refrigerated meat sticks, and products that combine meat and cheese, one of which is a beef and cheddar combination.

Sangster said the expansion of the Laurens facility shows how important the town is to Jack Link’s overall operation.

“One of the things we’re really excited about and something we take very, very seriously is our ability to invest in communities,” he said. “We’ll be adding approximately 20 jobs to Laurens, and as the business grows, we have potential to add to that as well.”

Also in Laurens, the local library is continuing to grow its garden.

Not a garden of plants or vegetables; a garden of musical instruments.

Last year, the Laurens Public Library started its music garden, which is located just outside the library’s entrance.

“They are large, outdoor, permanent instruments,” Laurens Library Director Glenda Mulder said when the garden was announced. “They can be played solo, in a group. You don’t have to have any lessons, you don’t need musical training.”

Recently, the library received a $3,000 grant for another instrument in the garden. According to the library’s Facebook page, the instruments will be a series of flowers, where each petal plays a different note.

Other instruments currently in the garden include some drums and xylophones.

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