According to Westword on July 16, Aurora, Colorado, will welcome Philip Morris International’s (PMI) new factory for the production of ZYN nicotine bags.
According to PMI, the $600 million investment in the plant is expected to bring 500 jobs to Colorado over the next two years.
Stacey Kennedy, president and CEO of PMI’s U.S. operations, said in a press release on July 16,
“Those 500 jobs are good jobs, family-supporting jobs.”
The ZYN facility in Aurora will be built a few miles south of Denver International Airport on a 150-acre site near 48th Avenue and Harvest Road. According to PMI, a ground-breaking ceremony will be held later this year, with official production expected to begin in 2026.
PMI said that in addition to the permanent jobs, the construction of the plant will create more than 5,000 temporary jobs and have a $1 billion economic impact on the region. The company expects the facility will also create 1,000 indirect jobs and have an ongoing economic impact of $550 million annually in Aurora.
The state’s governor, Jared Polis, expects the plant to “generate millions of dollars in tax revenue each year.”
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said,
“We are very excited to help make Colorado the best state to do business.” When a business like PMI makes a location decision, there are many factors to consider… “They typically look at labor and operating costs, and we have a deep commitment to both.”
Kennedy said,
“Globally, adult tobacco users and smokers are looking for smoke-free alternatives. The plant we are announcing today in Aurora will support this demand-driven growth over the medium term.”
Over the past year, the popularity of nicotine packs, especially ZYN nicotine packs, has skyrocketed. Last year, PMI sold more than 350 million cans of ZYN nicotine packs, a 62 percent increase in sales over 2022, and is expected to contribute more than $2 billion in revenue to PMI by 2024.
State Senator Kyle Mullica said he would continue to hold tobacco companies accountable while supporting the ZYN plant.
After the failure of a statewide effort to ban flavored tobacco products in 2022, Mullika pushed unsuccessfully for legislation that would allow Colorado counties to ban tobacco sales while banning the sale of non-federally approved smoking devices. He said he would continue to push for similar legislation while supporting the new ZYN plant.
“That doesn’t mean I’m not willing to hold the industry accountable. I’m also an advocate for making sure that we bring jobs and good-paying jobs to our communities, and I think you can do both.”