Expanding national pet-treat company plans 2 plants, 25 jobs
By Seth Schmidt
Tracy people have lots to woof about this week.
A national producer of premium pet-treats has chosen Tracy as the location for its expansion. Chasing Our Tails will produce dog-treats in the former Tracy Bottling/Hebig Electric building on South St. Additional pet-treat products will be processed in the former Salmon Chevrolet-Oldsmobile building on Fourth St.
“Our goal is to be in operation by Memorial Day, and to be at full-throttle by Labor Day, “ reports owner Steve Trachtenberg, of Hudson, New Hampshire. He projects that 25 jobs will be created in Tracy.
Chasing Our Tails is one of several companies that operate under the umbrella of Trachtenberg’s privately-held company, New England Pet Products. According to Trachtenberg, the business produces 165 different products that are sold at 5,500 retail locations in all 50 states.
“Our vision is to produce premium products direct from the farm to the pet bowl,” Trachtenberg explains.
The South St. building, he explains, will produce products using hot-air dehydration and freeze-drying processes.The Fourth St. building will utilize micro-canning methods to manufacture other pet-treat products and premium canned pet food. Virtually all of the products are made specifically for dogs, although the firm does make a few cat treats.
“I can’t tell you how happy we are to be here,” Trachtenberg says. Tracy will be the regional headquarters for the business.
Trachtenberg’s purchase of the 22,000 square foot-building at 434 South St. from George and Lori Hebig was finalized last week. He also recently worked out a lease arrangement on the Salmon property. Some equipment for the new Chasing Our Tails operations has already been shipped to Tracy.
Trachtenberg purchased the State Farm office building on Fourth St. as well, which is adjacent to the former Tracy Bottling/Hebig Electric property. Plans are to demolish the State Farm building and utilize the lot for a truck loading and unloading area. State Farm owner Mark Priegnitz plans to relocate his insurance office to Third St. (See related story).
For more on this article, see this week’s Headlight-Herald.