Confectionery firm HARIBO of America selected Gilbane Building Company of Milwaukee, WI as the general contractor for the construction of its first manufacturing plant in North America in Pleasant Prairie, WI, the company announced this week.

“The strategic decision to building a manufacturing facility in North America is of great importance to the HARIBO Group, and we are thrilled to take this next important step in the process,” Hans Guido Riegel, managing partner of the HARIBO Group, said in a company release Monday. “HARIBO is the fastest growing confectionery brand in the US, and our production facility will support continued long-term growth while also allowing us to be a part of the Pleasant Prairie community.”

During the multi-phase project, Gilbane will be in charge of all construction on the 136.8-acre site and work-site management. A 487,000-sq-ft production facility and an 87,866-sq-ft warehouse will be built, as well as several smaller utility buildings and a gatehouse. Work is slated to begin this year.

The new plant in Wisconsin will enable the company to supply confectionery products to US consumers and consumers more quickly and efficiently, according to the company.

“HARIBO will invest well above $300 million in our state-of-the-art facility, the largest project in our 100-year history,” said Wes Saber, the firm’s chief financial officer, in a statement. “In addition to that investment, we’re going to create up to 385 direct HARIBO jobs in phase one of our build and up to 4,200 indirect jobs upon completion of our full build per an independent economic study.”

Plans for the new facility in Pleasant Prairie were first reported in Powder & Bulk Solids this May.