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One of the world’s leading spa manufacturers unveiled its new manufacturing facility Wednesday, a move expected to create 600 new jobs.
Once the pant is fully up and running with full staff, Cal Spas will employ about 1,200 workers in Pomona.
Remaining in Pomona with this plant was important because of the dedication of existing employees, said Casey Loyd, Cal Spas president.
“The company was established here,” Loyd said. “There was a large labor force here.”
Cal Spas recently finished construction on the 500,000 square foot spa manufacturing building on Ninth Street, across the street from its existing manufacturing plant.
The new facility will allow Cal Spas to make about 600 spas per day.
The plant is designed to allow Cal Spas to compete in the global marketplace, Loyd said.
The new plant opened on April 10 but Wednesday was the building’s official grand opening.
With the new manufacturing facility, Cal Spas has about 1 million square feet of space on Ninth Street.
An existing plant that manufactured spas and outdoor barbecues will now solely be dedicated to making the barbecues and other outdoor equipment.
The non-profit Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. offered business assistance to help keep Cal Spas in Pomona where the company was considering expanding, said Greg Whitney, vice president of business development.
Cal Spas was considering moving to Nevada but elected to stay, Whitney said. Because it stayed, 600 existing jobs will remain in California and 600 new jobs will be created.
And those jobs can pay more that $40,000 a year, Whitney said.
Manufacturing jobs continue to leave Southern California and while Cal Spas’ decision to stay does not reverse the trend, it is good news for the area, he said.
While having Cal Spas in the city of Pomona adds and creates jobs, the company has a significant marketing impact of the city, said Raymond Fong, the city’s redevelopment director.
When Pomona advertises the city, it can sell Cal Spas as one of the main companies, Fong said.
One of the city’s top five employers, Cal Spas will receive some redevelopment assistance through property tax rebates, Fong said.
Such property tax rebates make it more appealing for businesses to expand in Pomona.
“It becomes a worthwhile enterprise for them,” Fong said.
Joe Florkowski can be rached by e-mail at joe.florkowski@dailybulletin.com or by phone and (909) 483-9391
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