Diaper plant announces $200M expansion

First Quality Baby Products is planning a $200 million expansion at its plant in Macon that will save more than 200 jobs and add 150 workers.

Local officials worked for nearly a year to persuade the diaper manufacturer to expand in Macon. President and chief executive officer Chip Cherry says he was kept up at night thinking of the 222 families who would have been affected if the plant had relocated.

According to a statement released on Friday, the company chose Macon over multiple sites in in several states that were also competing for the project. Construction on a new $35 million building is scheduled to begin by the end of the year and could be open by next spring.