Chemicals maker Ashland Inc. has announced a $12 million expansion of its Valvoline blending plant in Hernando in north Mississippi.

The company said the expansion would add 30 jobs at the plant. The expansion was announced Thursday in Hernando.

The plant produces car care items like Eagle One glass cleaner, chrome and wire cleaner and Nano-Protectant for stores such as AutoZone, NAPA and O’Reilly.

When the new building is completed in about a year, the plant will roll out as many as 1,000 new products geared toward car detailers, auto dealers, auction lots and others, said plant operations manager Chris McGee.

McGee said the new construction will represent a 50 percent expansion in the blending plant’s space.

The plant presently employs about 100 workers at the blending plant and a distribution center.

McGee said Valvoline, a subsidiary of Kentucky-based Ashland, will spend about $750,000 to relocate a rail spur to serve the plant better.

“This is the largest investment Ashland is making in all of North America. This is where Ashland has decided to put its home money,” McGee said.

On the Net:

Ashland, http://www.ashland.com