An international manufacturer and supplier of chemical foods and beverage ingredients will close its Columbus plant and one in New Jersey and move the operations to a 150,000 square foot facility on Brickyard Road in Phenix City, the Phenix City Economic Development Department announced today.

Fuerst Day Lawson, or FDL, expects to create 10 jobs in the first year and 10 more in its second year at the Phenix City plant, said Shaun Culligan, economic development specialist for the city.

“We’re very excited about the international investment in Phenix City,” Culligan said. “We see the potential for their manufacturing growth to expand fairly quickly.”

Jack Hayes, director of Keller Williams Commercial Real Estate in Columbus, brokered the arrangement with Phenix City and FDL. He called it “a big win” for the city.

“They’re making a substantial commitment to the region,” Hayes said. “They’ve entered a long-term lease agreement, so they expect to be here for a long time to come.”

Hayes said Cott Beverages in Columbus is FDL’s primary client in this area and the reason for its expanding presence here.

Hayes said the company’s Columbus and New Jersey operations will be merged into the Brickyard Road operation.

FDL is headquartered in London and has several other operations in England and in India and China. It is a manufacturer of food and beverage chemical ingredients.