Douglas Crowl

Crop Production Services held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for its 82,000-square-foot office building, which is expected to bring 300 jobs to the area when it opens within the Centerra development.

Agrium Inc., which owns the company, also plans to open its North American corporate headquarters in the building, consolidating a handful of related small offices, some based in Greeley.

Crop Production Services Chief Executive Officer Richard Gearheard said his company has a record of growing, with massive profit increases and the doubling of its work force to 7,500 employees in recent years.

"If we grow, we will add more people," he said, referring to job growth potential the company could bring to Loveland.

He said Centerra developer McWhinney made the best offer in building incentives, which helped bring the company to Loveland.

Agrium Inc. also is moving its Agrium Advanced Technology subsidiary to an adjacent office building in Centerra, which will bring 21 jobs and the prediction of 50 new jobs in the next five years, as well as an IT support office also adding 25 jobs. Together, the teams will fill up more than 31,000 square feet of vacant office space, the company announced Monday.

The companies are involved in fertilizer sales.

"This is one of those moments that I treasure, bringing primary jobs into the community," Loveland Mayor Gene Pielin said at the groundbreaking.