ConAgra plans to upgrade Rensselaer popcorn plant

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Updated: January 21, 2012 10:14PM

RENSSELAER — ConAgra Foods says it will invest $15.6 million to upgrade operations at its Orville Redenbacher microwave popcorn plant in Rensselaer.

The move is expected to create up to 24 jobs by 2014. ConAgra employs more than 200 full-time workers in Indiana.

The project includes adding four microwave popcorn packaging lines, redesigning the corn, slurry and salt systems and remodeling the plant’s quality assurance laboratory.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered ConAgra Foods up to $175,000 in conditional tax credits based on its job creation plans. The city of Rensselaer also approved property tax abatements.

Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Ind., and graduated from Purdue University in 1928. Later, he became involved in the corn industry near Valparaiso.