Congressman Jo Bonner, R-Alabama, welcomed news today that Tate & Lyle is reopening its Splenda plant in McIntosh, noting the development is part of a steady trend of job growth in Southwest Alabama.

"The announcement by Tate and Lyle to reopen its McIntosh Splenda plant, which comes exactly two years after their decision to suspend operations, is very good news for Washington County and Southwest Alabama," said Congressman Bonner.

"While we were all stunned when we heard the news on May 27, 2009, that the McIntosh plant would cease operations, we held out hope that the decision to mothball the plant, rather than close it, would eventually lead to its reopening.  Today, we welcome Tate & Lyle's announcement to restore operations at the McIntosh plant and rehire 100 workers.

"The reopening of the McIntosh Splenda plant is one more positive development in Southwest Alabama's slow but steady march out of the economic recession that has gripped our area. 

"The creation of thousands of new jobs at Austal in Mobile, ThyssenKrupp in Calvert, as well as significant new manufacturing jobs in Thomasville and Jackson, signal our region's potential to lead the state's economic recovery."