ELDON - While celebrating its one-year anniversary of opening its Eldon facility, Quaker Window Products announced its next phase of construction Thursday.
In October 2018, Freeburg-based window manufacturer Quaker Window Products announced its plans to build a $65 million campus along Missouri 52 at Hicky Road in Eldon.
Missouri Department of Economic Development officials said the company received "chapter 100 abatement" from the city of Eldon as well as some infrastructure improvements for the project. That made Quaker exempt from sales and property taxes.
This month will mark the one-year anniversary of opening the facilities in Eldon. The manufacturing plant and office build-out were the first two phases of Quaker's multi-phase expansion plan for its 160-acre campus.
On Thursday, Gov. Mike Parson toured the company's 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and offices in Eldon. He then joined Quaker's CEO Kevin Blansett for the announcement of the start of construction on the next phase of the company's Eldon operation.
This third phase involves a new 250,000-square-foot commercial window and door facility, which will be built adjacent to the existing plant and will manufacture a variety of commercial window and door products for the architectural and commercial construction markets.
Company officials estimated more than 150 jobs will be created once the new building is in full operation. The expected opening date of the facility is late spring of 2022.
"This will be the home of our new 'Window Wall' division, as well as some exciting new technology," Blansett said. "We'll be pushing closer to the 300 new job mark that we were looking at reaching in six years, but we've been blessed to be able to get it done in two."
Parson said the Quaker campus is an example of two of the priorities he wanted to address when he became governor.
"Workforce development and improving infrastructure were at the top of my list," Parson said. "If you want your kids and grandkids to live and stay in Missouri, you've got to give them an opportunity to do that. The only way you're going to do that is through businesses like Quaker Windows."
Commercial windows - all aluminum-framed - are the kind used in hotels, including the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel that was built on the site of the old St. Mary's Hospital in Jefferson City.
Blansett also announced Quaker is expanding both first and second shift career opportunities at the Eldon and Freeburg/Maries campuses. Currently, Quaker has more than 150 employees in Eldon, with more than 1,000 employees at the Freeburg/Maries campus.
The opening of the Eldon facilities allowed the company's plant in Freeburg to repurpose parts of its facility to support its residential business.
"These are good paying jobs that give people opportunities to stay in Missouri," Parson said. "We have workforce development taking place at Eldon High School that will train people to come to Quaker and fill jobs. This is what we are trying to do all across Missouri."