Johnsonville, the sausage company, is expanding its operations in Sheboygan County, Wis. According to a news release, Johnsonville purchased the 200,000-square-foot facility where sock maker Wigwam Mills has been manufacturing.
Johnsonville will use the new space on Crocker Avenue to expand cooking innovations and increase production of its fully cooked sausage products, the release said. With growth in that segment of the business over the last few years, Johnsonville said it is exceeding its current manufacturing capacity on its Sheboygan Falls campus.
Johnsonville plans to modify the building for sausage production in 2021 and begin operations in early 2022, the release said.
Wigwam will relocate its headquarters, manufacturing and outlet store to a leased space in the former Franzen Graphics facility along State Highway 42, the release said. Until then, Johnsonville will lease back the building on Crocker Avenue to Wigwam through the end of 2020.
In June, Wigwam laid off 121 of its 142 employees because of adverse impacts from COVID-19 on operations and sales. When layoffs were announced, Chris Chesebro, general manager of operations, said Wigwam would streamline but continue to produce American-made products.