Paramount Citrus to Keep Existing Plant in Oxnard

Paramount Citrus will retain its lemon-processing plant in Oxnard and consolidate its former McFarland operations at a new facility in Delano.

After a June fire destroyed the company’s McFarland plant, Paramount Citrus had considered consolidating all operations at one new plant, said Barry R. Sedlik, Southern California Edison’s manager of economic and business development.

With help from Edison, as well as from local and state governments, the Sunkist grower and processor chose to build a 26-acre plant in Delano while keeping open its Oxnard-based lemon operation and McFarland-based orange plant.

“The new SCE rates, as well as the training assistance and sales-tax rebates we received, were instrumental in allowing us to keep our existing operations open while rebuilding from the fire that destroyed our McFarland plant,” said Bruce Newman, Paramount Citrus president.

Paramount Citrus employs 80 people at the Oxnard lemon plant and will employ 300 workers at the new Delano plant.