Hair and skin products company Alberto-Culver said it will open a plant in Jonesboro, AR that will employ 400 people. Alberto-Culver Co. said it will spend $60 million to construct the new factory and expects to break ground later in December. Plans call for a 500,000 square-foot building on 80 acres at the Jonesboro Industrial Park. Officials said the building will be able to be expanded later to 700,000 square-feet. Rich Mewborn, vice president of worldwide operations for Alberto-Culver, said a similar manufacturing plant in Dallas will close next year. Most of that plant’s production will be shifted to Jonesboro. “We are currently running at close to capacity in our North American manufacturing operations, and this facility is intended to support our growth, bring additional flexibility to our production capabilities and create significant long-term efficiencies,” Mewborn said. Company officials looked at 200 sites in a 21-state region before deciding to come to Jonesboro, Mewborn said. The company picked Jonesboro because of its land, available utilities, freight carriers, manufacturing base, strong schools and its trainable work force, he said. Production is scheduled to start in 2008, and the company expects to have 400 people working once the plant is at full speed.