Mars Petcare says it plans to create 200 more jobs over the next five years.

The announcement by the company, Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe came Tuesday, as construction is under way on its future headquarters in Ovation, one of the largest planned mixed-use projects in Williamson County.

The company's existing U.S. headquarters in Franklin employs roughly 1,000 people.

Mars Petcare plans to move into its new, 224,000-square-foot headquarters in 2019.

“We’re grateful to Mars Petcare for its continued confidence in Tennessee and our skilled workforce. The creation of 200 jobs brings us one step closer to making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs," Haslam said in a press release Tuesday.

Mars moved its U.S. headquarters in 2006, from Vernon, Cali., to Brentwood. The following year, it moved to its current location in Franklin.

The move to Ovation will accommodate the company’s growth, Lisa Campbell, Mars’ director of public relations told The Tennessean in August.

“Our move in 2007 was to really establish Mars Petcare here, and we’ve grown since then,” Campbell said.

Matt Largen, CEO of the county's chamber of commerce, Williamson Inc., said the news Tuesday didn't come as a surprise. The company was Williamson County's 12th largest employer in 2016.

"Mars Petcare continues to add jobs and capital investments to Williamson County. We have a great working relationship with the company," Largen said, noting that 90 to 95 percent of jobs announcements in the county are from existing companies.

Mars employs more than 2,600 people across Tennessee, including Banfield and Blue Pearl, both part of the Mars Veterinary portfolio, an R&D facility in Thompson’s Station, a pet food factory in Lebanon and two Mars Wrigley Confectionary production facilities in Cleveland and Chattanooga.

Reach Elaina Sauber at esauber@tennessean.com, 615-571-1172 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.