Smithfield Foods to Open $74M Distribution Center in Maryland

NORTH EAST, MD. — Smithfield Foods Inc., a pork producer and meat packing company, will open a 420,000-square-foot distribution facility within Principio Business Park in North East. The Baltimore Sun reports the center will cost $74 million to build. According to a press release from Gov. Larry Hogan’s office, the new facility will create 240 jobs in Cecil County. Stewart Properties’ Principio Business Park is home to tenants including Amazon, Lidl and Medline. According to Baltimore Business Journal, the State of Maryland will give Smithfield $800,000 in loans through the Advantage Maryland program and, pending review, Cecil County will pitch in $80,000. A timeline for construction was not disclosed.