Associated Press Published

Procter & Gamble to Break Ground in September

Procter & Gamble Headquarters in Cincinnati, OH.

Procter & Gamble’s planned manufacturing facility in the Eastern Panhandle is due to break ground soon.

The Journal of Martinsburg reports that the Berkeley County plant is due to hold a ceremonial groundbreaking Sept. 18, with construction expected to begin in October.

The project will be the largest manufacturing project in the state’s history. The Cincinnati-based company said that during the first phase of construction the facility would be 1 million square feet and would create an estimated 700 full-time jobs. The total project has a scope of 4.8 million square feet and 1,100 employees.

Berkeley County Development Authority Executive Director Steve Christian says interest from developers and companies has been increasing since Procter & Gamble announced its plans in February.

The plant is scheduled to open in 2017.