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News covering policy and issues related to city and county governments in the Ozarks.

3M Expansion to Create At Least 90 New Jobs for Springfield

3M
Scott Harvey
/
KSMU

The Missouri Department of Economic Development on Wednesday announced that Springfield manufacturer 3M will embark on a $40 million expansion. The company expects this to create at least 90 full-time positions over the next several years.

3M is a Minnesota based company that employs over 330 people in the Springfield area, and has over 89,000 employees company-wide.

The Springfield plant, located on East Chestnut Expressway, produces adhesives, adhesive-coated film and sealants that are used around the world. The company has been a part of the Springfield community for 50 years.

Ryan Mooney, senior vice president of economic development at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, believes that this expansion will do good things for the community.

“Anytime a corporate entity like this makes a decision to invest in Springfield, after we competed with other locations, it demonstrates to others that this is a good place to make investments.”

Mooney points to recent similar investments with existing Springfield businesses like Kraft and John Deere.

3M intends to update its current plant on East Chestnut Expressway and redevelop the former Mammoth building on East Pythian Street, which it has owned since 2010.

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens expressed his gratitude toward 3M for its decision to invest in Missouri and in its workers by creating dozens of new jobs.

Greitens hopes this will send a message to those in the business community that “we are going to work to help them grow and prosper.”

Fredrick James, the plant manager at 3M, said in a news release that this expansion builds upon 50 years of successful operations in Springfield and the company’s commitment to the community.

Mooney adds that 3M intends to complete all new hiring within two years.

“3M is already adding jobs, and starting the process of making these investments, so they are off and running,” Mooney said.

In a news release, the Chamber says that through Springfield’s Partnership for Economic Development, 3M was able to utilize Missouri Works and Missouri Works Training incentives through the state. The company is also getting assistance through the Community Economic Development Rider-D incentive through City Utilities, and is on track to utilize Enhanced Enterprise Zone and Chapter 100 incentives through the city of Springfield.