Suffolk city officials, Planters’ Suffolk Plant Manager Dan Huss, and as Dennis Craff, the city’s director of communications said during his introduction, “The big man himself, Mr. Peanut,” celebrated the official opening of a new warehouse facility at the Planters factory on Culloden Street Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday was the official date for the warehouse’s completion.

During his remarks however, Huss said on one hand there’s still more construction to be finished up on the warehouse, and on the other hand, there have already been more than 50 million pounds of goods shipped from the warehouse in the last couple months.

Huss, who has been plant manager in Suffolk for three years, said, “This is an example of the on going mutual appreciation between the city and our company, and the root of that relationship is Mr. (Amadeo) Obici.”

The 57,000-square-foot facility can accommodate 15,000 pallets of finished products while awaiting their final destinations.

“We’re happy Planters wants to expand in Suffolk,” Mayor Bobby Ralph said, “because here it’s more than just bricks and mortar.”

Councilman Curtis Milteer, along that same line, called Planters, “A bread basket for Suffolk.”

“Many husbands and wives have raised families, bought homes, cars, and everything here in Suffolk because of Planters.” Milteer said.

“Industrial expansion is a key ingredient to economic development success,” Ralph said, “and it’s even more important for an industry to expand in the location they are already in.”

Councilman Calvin Jones recalled his youth through his remarks.

Jones told of his chauffeur services for Mr. Peanut during a parade down Main Street when he was “probably about five or six.”

“I know you still look the same,” Jones said to Mr. Peanut. “I wish I could say the same about myself.”