NASHVILLE (AP) — Pet food company Mars Petcare is breaking ground on an $87 million regional innovation center in Williamson County.

The ground breaking ceremony on Tuesday in Thompson's Station will mark the beginning of construction on the four-building campus where Mars and the Nutro Company will create new pet food innovations for the North American market.

The new center will employ about 144 people and is expected to be finished by the end of 2013.

Mars makes pet food brands Pedigree, Whiskas, Cesar, Temptations, Nutro and Greenies and is headquartered in Williamson County, just south of Nashville.