Pocono News Section

Wegmans Expanding RSC Near Pottsville

Wegmans Expanding RSC Near Pottsville - Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 5:05PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 @ 05:05pm EST

CASS TOWNSHIP, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- At a time when some companies are laying off or even shutting down, Wegmans Retail Service Center is expanding.

The RSC opened in 2004 with a produce facility and added a grocery operation in 2005. Now, it's adding a 300,000 square foot refrigerated and frozen facility, with plans to hire 150 people.

"Obviously with the negativity and gloom and doom of the economy, any good news is great news," said Mark Scarbinsky, director of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation, or SEDCO. "Wegmans has been listed in Forbes' top 100 places to work for the past decade, so we're very proud to have a company of that stature in our community."

Wegmans plans to start building next year and could open in late 2011. Scarbinsky says this can only help the already-growing business industry in the country and the Schuylkill Highridge Business Park.

"Ten years ago, nothing was on that mountain," added Scarbinsky. "Now, we have more than four million square feet in business space, we have three thousand people employed with payrolls in the millions, and Wegmans' expansion is just another tremendous opportunity."

The construction cost is estimated to reach $75 million, which could provide another boost to the local economy.

The RSC already employs about 300 people. While company officials weren't available to go on-camera, they tell us they're excited to grow the facility by 50 percent and bring more jobs to the area.