Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations celebrated an expansion to their facilities Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony.

The site will add 62,000 square feet to its existing 92,000-square-foot Long Range Strike Systems cruise missile manufacturing facility.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re excited to get this thing kicked off,” said Dave Anderson, site director of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control’s Pike County Operations. “And hopefully, as soon as we get these small holes done, Alex Whaley will get started on the big holes.”

Troy’s Whaley Construction won the bid on the expansion and is expected to start construction this week. The facility is slated for completion by the first quarter of 2015 and fully operational by the third quarter.

Troy Mayor Jason Reeves served as keynote speaker. He noted the impact Lockheed has had on Pike County.

“This gives people an opportunity to earn a good wage … It affects everything,” he said. “And it’ll keep the door open for continued expansion.”

Reeves said the additional workforce would have a ripple effect on the local economy as new employees make Pike County home, spend paychecks here and frequent local businesses. Long before the annex opens, Reeves said the area would feel its economic impact, thanks to construction jobs.

The site employs 300 full-time employees and more than 100 contractors. Anderson announced last month that an increased production rate would require adding about 30 more employees and would likely add as many as 100 new jobs by 2020.

Anderson said the current facility could accommodate the existing contracts and additional employees.

“The expansion is really to support future growth,” he said.

The site isn’t Lockheed’s only manufacturer of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles and Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles, but it is one of the companies most accomplished.

“People here are dedicated. That’s the key. Lockheed Martin is willing to invest in Pike County because our employees here demonstrate a commitment to quality, excellence and affordability,” Anderson said. “We’ve got proven performance here. And when you’ve got performance like that, you get opportunities like this.”