Energy drink maker plans $25M Indiana expansion

WABASH, Ind. -- An energy drink maker is planning a $25 million expansion that's expected to bring up to 200 new jobs to a northern Indiana city.

Living Essentials, the producer of 5-hour ENERGY, announced Wednesday it would build and equip a plant in Wabash with a total of 1 million square feet to be added in phases. The company says that plant will become its third in the city about 40 miles southwest of Fort Wayne.

The Farmington Hills, Mich.-based company's new plant will add space for up to four new production lines and is expected to be operational by September 2013.

Living Essentials started its Wabash operations in 2007 and now has about 370 full-time employees there who make more than 9 million bottles of 5-hour ENERGY per week.