Wells choses site for new headquarters

Northwest Iowa-based Wells Dairy executives have chosen a site for the company’s new headquarters. It’ll be built just southwest of LeMars, near a bypass that’s to be built for Highway 75. Wells spokesman Dave Smetter says they’d narrowed it down to two potential sites.Smetter says with 300 people going to work at one place, they examined traffic flows to both sites and the place they chose was “much more advantageous.” Smetter says the land they selected also offers better protection from natural disasters. Construction is to be completed in two years. The highway bypass is due to be done in that same time frame. Wells flirted with the idea of moving its corporate headquarters to another state, but Iowa lawmakers passed a bill providing tax breaks for construction, even though Wells will lease, not own, the new building. Wells markets the Blue Bunny brand of ice cream.