The state of Illinois has awarded almost $16 million in economic development funds for Triumph Foods to build a new, state-of-the-art pork processing plant in East Moline, IL.

“We are always looking for opportunities to attract new companies and new jobs to Illinois,” says Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. “Triumph Foods is investing $135 million to build this state-of-the-art facility that will eventually bring 1,000 new jobs to northwest Illinois (by 2010).”

Triumph Foods, a pork processing company based in St. Joseph, MO, plans to start construction in the spring of 2007 on a 620,000-sq.-ft. plant on 116 acres in East Moline, IL. Completion is slated for the first quarter of 2009. The new plant is a pork processing facility only.

“With its large, available workforce, central location and great road and air access, the Quad Cities region is an excellent fit for us and was the best choice for our new, state-of-the-art pork processing plant,” says Rick Hoffman, CEO of Triumph Foods.