Food-drying facility set to open in Lyon

Clean Dried Processing plans to open a food-drying and -processing facility in Silver Springs this summer.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority, which advised the company on its decision to open in Northern Nevada, says the new facility may spur creation of related industries in Lyon County.

Jed Frank, director of sales and procurement for Clean Dried Processing, which is owned by LaBudde Group of Grafton, Wis., said the facility will produce additives for the pet food industry. Clean Dried Processing plans to enter production by mid-June or early July, Frank said.

Initial food products to be processed at the 150,000-square-foot facility, formerly a truss manufacturing plant that was shuttered during the housing downturn in the late 2000s, are tomato pumice and potato culls.

Tomato pumice is the byproduct of tomato processing — skins and seeds — while potato culls are potatoes that are too small to be used for French fries and potato chips. Clean Dried Processing will dry the ingredients in drum dryers, then grind them through hammer mills to produce a powder that will be sold to pet food manufacturers.

Frank said LaBudde Group had long been eyeing a western expansion.

“We have nothing in California or Nevada, but obviously, Nevada is a better location from the standpoint of employment. There are a lot of people out of work, and that community looked to be in need of growth.”

Clean Dried Processing plans to employ between 10 and 20 people in its first year of operations, depending on processing and delivery volumes.

Rob Hooper, executive director of NNDA, called the company’s decision “a big boost” for economically hard-hit Lyon County.

“Not only will Clean Dried Processing be creating jobs, they will act as a catalyst for other companies to make the decision to move or expand to the area. This expansion has the potential to shape Silver Springs for years to come,” Hooper said.

Mike Hoeck of NAI Alliance helped Clean Dried Processing find a location. Brad Bonkowski of Coldwell Banker Premier Brokers, who sits on the Carson City Board of Supervisors, and Brad Lancaster of Miller Industrial Properties represented the seller.