East of U.S. Highway 24-40 in the Tonganoxie Business Park, the state-of-the-art facility covers 365,000 square feet on 80 acres.

On Monday, local and state officials, including Gov. Laura Kelly, joined others in a tour during a grand opening ceremony.

Chad Sharp, director of manufacturing for the Tonganoxie plant, said Monday’s ceremony was more than two years in the making. Hill’s Pet Nutrition first announced plans for the $250 million plant in June 2021.

The food manufacturing plant, which will produce more than 170 varieties of wet pet food, also was designed as a “smart” facility with artificial intelligence to power a digital food safety vigilance system, automation and robotic devices, enhanced food safety systems and end-to-end digital process/safety monitoring. Included in those pet food varieties is Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d, the company’s original science-based formula designed for the nutritional management of renal (kidney) conditions.

Kelly praised the partnership of the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Leavenworth County Development Corporation, City of Tonganoxie, Evergy and Kansas Gas Service in working with Hill’s in choosing the site, which currently employs about 100 people. She also commended elected officials for working across the aisle to help make the facility a reality.

“This investment by Hill’s Pet Nutrition is a testament to my administration’s success in creating a pro-business economy, including for the animal health industry,” Kelly said. “I’m delighted our unique Animal Health Corridor continues to expand, growing our economy and supporting communities like Tonganoxie.”

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a division of Colgate-Palmolive, is celebrating 75 years in business as it opens its third plant in Kansas. Other facilities are in Topeka and Emporia.

Also speaking at Monday’s ceremony were John Hazlin, president and CEO of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Noel Wallace, chairman, president and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive.

Wallace said Tonganoxie reflected the company’s purpose of a “healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet.” He also said the company strives to offer a healthier workplace for all that is “caring, inclusive and courageous.”

Hazlin touched on the Hill’s commitment to sustainability and mentioned, for instance, the plant’s ability to capture rainwater for future use.

He noted that Hill’s also is supporting Tonganoxie in creating the community’s first dog park. The company is working with the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission in designing a park along a portion of the town’s sidewalk trails system that’s near other community parks.

Hill’s introduced Buddy, a robot dog, at Monday’s grand opening. The yellow and black four-legged robot developed with Boston Dynamics, represents a team of such robots that fetch products and formula samples and then take them to the quality lab for testing.

Buddy made his way up the steps to the stage for the ribbon cutting but got a little too close to the front of the platform and tumbled about 2 feet to the floor. The resilient robot dog was back on its feet moments later for the ribbon cutting. The robot’s namesake was the first service dog back in 1939. Buddy assisted Morris Frank, a young blind man who sought help from veterinarian Dr. Mark Morris Sr. Buddy was suffering from kidney failure when Hill’s founder, Dr. Morris and his wife, Louise, developed a new pet food in their kitchen to help Buddy.

The Tonganoxie plant, which began operations last month, will have a neighbor in the business park and Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.

DSM-Frimenich broke ground last month for a $52 million plant that will cover 65,000 square feet northwest of the Hill’s plant. The plant, which primarily produces vitamins used in pet foods, is expected to employ nearly 30 people.

The KC Animal Health Corridor, anchored by Manhattan to the west and Columbia, Missouri, to the east, represents more than 300 animal health companies and 56% of the total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales globally, according to kcanimalhealth.thinkkc.com.