Brent Bracey – Senior Director of Operations – Perry Frito Lay Plant to celebrate 30th anniversary

This year, the Manufacturing Institute, the social impact arm of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and global food and beverage company, PepsiCo, have partnered around Manufacturing Day, Oct. 5. It was a day to raise awareness about the modern dynamics and opportunities of a career in manufacturing for future generations of the workforce.

As one of North America’s largest manufacturers, operating more than 100 manufacturing facilities, over 600 warehouses and distribution centers, and a fleet of nearly 59,000 vehicles across its three North America Divisions: Frito-Lay North America, North America Beverages, and Quaker Foods North America, PepsiCo stated they will use October as a month-long effort to celebrate its frontline associates.

In conjunction with this year’s Manufacturing Day, Frito-Lay recently announced the 30th anniversary of the Perry plant.

Frito-Lay began operations in its Perry facility on Oct. 20, 1988, producing only two products. Now, 30 years later, the facility is the largest of Frito-Lay’s 31 U.S. manufacturing plants, at a million square feet, manufacturing 15 product lines, and employing more than 1,200 full-time associates.

Senior Director of Operations for the Perry plant, Brent Bracey, has been with the company for 21 years and Perry is his fourth location. He attests the Perry plant’s success to the employees.

“This is a very technical, capable, and successful team here at the Perry Plant,” Bracey said. “It has gone from two product lines to now 15, with over 1,200 employees. We lead the way in reducing waste; we have some of the best efficiencies in the company and have for many years. Last year we won the Manufacturing Award of Excellence, given to the top site in Frito-Lay North America. Everyone here in Perry just works so well together, from the time we unload the ingredients to our traffic center when the product is out for delivery. We also train other sites in start-up new production lines. And again it is all due to this great team.”

The Perry plant has also been recognized worldwide, Circle of Champion Showcase plant from PepsiCo, Georgia’s largest Manufacturer of the Year, and featured on several major TV network programs such as National Geographic, Food Network, and American Icon Series. Michael Criss, warehouse maintenance planner for the Perry Plant, has been with the plant since the beginning in 1988 and is the recipient this year of Frito-Lay’s Circle of Champions awards, an award provided to an elite group of supply chain associates from around the world who drive innovation and have demonstrated exceptional performance in safety, quality, service, cost, sustainability, and people skills.

The plant is also in its second year of its apprenticeship program, which encourages high school students to enter the manufacturing workforce through its industrial maintenance program, created in partnership with the Houston County Career Academy, Houston County Board of Education, and Georgia Technical College. The program provides students the opportunity to receive elective high school credits for learning basic engineering/maintenance skills that will prepare them for entry-level employment in manufacturing roles upon graduation. There are 20 cadets currently enrolled.

“We are going to continue to grow and be the ultimate site in Frito-Lay,” Bracey said. “Again, I am very proud of our team as we celebrate our 30 years of success here in Perry.”