Officials Celebrate Next Chapter of Wells Enterprises Expansion Project in Dunkirk

Wells Enterprises is celebrating a major milestone in the $425 million expansion of its facility in the City of Dunkirk. On Thursday, representatives from Wells, New York State, Chautauqua County, and the city gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new employee center and production expansion, which marks the end of Phase 2 of the four-phase project. Wells Chief Operating Officer Nicolas Neykov says the ongoing transformation of the facility, which began in 2024, is more than just an investment in equipment...

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Hope Knight, President and CEO of Empire State Development, says it's "incredible" seeing the expansion of the facility...

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Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel called the expansion project a "tremendous vote of confidence" in Dunkirk, the county, and the local residents and employees. He praised the hard-working employees in attendance at the ceremony, saying they have been helpful in sustaining the plant...

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Dunkirk Mayor Kate Wdowiasz says the completion of Phase 2 is more than just celebrating a building -- it celebrates momentum towards a bright economic future for the city and northern Chautauqua County...

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Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement, saying, "We have built incredible momentum in Chautauqua County's manufacturing sector, and the progress of this massive expansion is a historic win for Dunkirk and the entire region. By partnering with Wells Enterprises, we have transformed this site into a high-tech, world-class manufacturing facility that will secure hundreds of good-paying jobs for New York workers and strengthen our local business partnerships and provide an enduring boost to our hard-working dairy farmers."

The new building replaces an over 75-year-old structure and now includes updated breakrooms, cafeteria space, training rooms, offices and additional resources designed to support the team members who power Wells' operations. Phase 3, which is currently underway, will add more production lines, while Phase 4 will expand processing capabilities, including raw materials. Once completed, the expansion project is expected to add 270 permanent jobs while retaining existing roles.

Photos by Greg Larson