BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — The Schwan’s Co., a business unit of the South Korean food manufacturer CJ CheilJedang, is expanding the refrigeration distribution center at its pizza manufacturing plant in Salina, Kan. As part of the expansion, Schwan’s said it will add 140,000 square feet to the facility, which will more than double the size of the center that was built in 2006.

Construction is set to begin in 2023 and be completed in early 2025, bringing total distribution center space to 245,000 square feet once the project is completed, Schwan’s said.

Schwan’s said the additional distribution center space will be used to increase storage for the pizzas produced at the plant. The expansion will include a 38,000-pallet position racking system with three automated pallet cranes, according to the company.

The addition to the distribution center marks the second significant investment Schwan’s has made to the Salina site in recent years. The company is in the process of adding 400,000 square feet to the manufacturing side of the Salina facility, and the company has invested $600 million into the plant.

“In 2020, we had the honor of announcing to the Salina community a major investment that would enable us to continue to provide delicious pizzas to millions of families for decades to come,” said Dimitrios Smyrnios, chief executive officer of Schwan’s. “I feel a lot of pride, and I am also very much humbled by everyone’s execution of this project. This new distribution center will support our expanded production capabilities over the long term.”