Quonset welcomes its newest company, a $100 million investment - by Steven King

Quonset Development Corp. (QDC) welcomed Infinity Meat Solutions at a major groundbreaking event recently, as the latest company to call the business park home. The state-of-the-art 200,000 s/f, $100 million meat packing facility will add more than 700 permanent jobs to Quonset and 400 additional construction jobs. Infinity will join over 200 companies and 12,000 employees at the business park, Rhode Island’s leading economic development engine.

Infinity Meat Solutions is a subsidiary of Retail Business Services (RBS). RBS provides support services to the U.S. local brands of its global parent company Ahold Delhaize, the owner of Stop & Shop, among others. Infinity considered many locations in the northeast, and ultimately chose Quonset for the value add of location and amenities offered to companies at the park.

The park’s site readiness program allows companies to break ground only 90 days after signing a new lease, an unprecedented timeline in commercial development. QDC has streamlined the pre-permitting process in securing all necessary permits from RI DEM and the Coastal Resources Management Council that a new business would need, in addition to completing all pre-engineering work. Infinity Meat Solutions expects to launch operations in the first half of 2020. 

Conveniently located in Southern New England, the business park is easily accessible between both the Boston and New York markets. Our onsite transportation infrastructure, including 14 miles of freight rail line and the Port of Davisville, gives companies multiple options for shipping goods in and out of the Park. Over $105 million has been invested in this infrastructure since 2005, and ongoing investment continues. Infinity Meat Solutions will benefit from this infrastructure and will be the latest company to benefit from this infrastructure, allowing them to expand their supply chain operations throughout New England. 

Governor Gina Raimondo and her team at the Rhode Island Commerce Corp., including RI Commerce secretary Stefan Pryor, have consistently supported an environment where Rhode Island companies can grow and thrive. Secretary Pryor’s role as QDC board chair evidences the States ultimate commitment to this evolving goal. Infinity Meat Solutions qualified for $1.9 million in Rebuild RI tax credits that will support construction of their facility and a sales tax rebate on construction materials purchased in Rhode Island. The state’s investment in the facility is projected to generate more than $10 million in state revenue over the next 10 years, producing benefits for all Rhode Island taxpayers. 

Over 25 companies have landed or expanded in Rhode Island recently, and we are excited to welcome Infinity Meat Solutions as the latest one. The newest addition to the park sends a strong signal that Quonset is poised for continued growth. 

Steven King, PE, is the managing director of the Quonset Development Corporation, North Kingstown, R.I.