A local employer is thankful this season for its continued success!

It has grown at a time when many companies have cut back their production.

A traditional favorite for holiday dinner tables across the country comes from Columbus, WI, where the Rhodes facility is rolling out record numbers of rolls.

"We can't make enough to keep up," plant manager Darry Campbell says.

A year ago, the 50-year-old company introduced a new line of partially baked products.

With sales hot - up 14% - plant manager Darry Campbell has increased production to capacity.

"We were doing probably about 3-thousand cases a week. Last week's production was over 30-thousand cases," he says.

This is always a busy time of year with 100 truckloads leaving a week compared to 100 a month during the summer.

But for the first time in Rhodes history, the plant has been operating seven days a week.

And, the constant hum of the line is welcome noise for Tommy Taylor.

"Everything that needs to be fixed, that's what we do," he says.

He has been working at Rhodes for little more than a month, having taken the job after another one fell through earlier this year.

"That fell through and it left me unemployed for about 6 months."

While Taylor was looking for a job, Rhodes was adding more than 40 employees to handle the growth of a company rolling with the times.

"People want more convenience, and these type of products lend to convenience," John Schneider, who's in charge of product development for the new line, says.

This plant has undergone several expansions through the years and next year, it's expected to see yet another one - roughly doubling production capacity.

"There's 44 people working right now that would have a job perhaps if we had not been able to expand our line," Campbell says.

John Schneider is responsible for product development. He says to expect new varieties in the par-baked line - and perhaps new possibilities.

Taylor, meantime, simply hopes to be a part of it.

"Now, I'm thankful to be having a job again... it's a good feeling."

"And I like the product... hahaha"

The plant's expansion is expected after the first of the year.

If you'd like to find some recipes using Rhodes products, go to www.rhodesbread.com