Pilgrim’s Pride investment creates 155 jobs

By Oscar Rousseau

- Last updated on GMT

Pilgrim's Kentucky expansion is one of several ventures planned for the near future
Pilgrim's Kentucky expansion is one of several ventures planned for the near future

Related tags Packaging equipment & materials Poultry Processing and packaging Innovation Processing equipment & plant design

Pilgrim’s Pride has announced plans for a multimillion dollar expansion of its poultry processing facility in Kentucky, leading to 155 new jobs.

The corporation is one of largest producers of fresh and prepared chicken products in the US, Puerto Rico and Mexico. It unveiled plans last week to invest $24m to transform its chicken centre in Kentucky.

Plans have been put in place to alter Pilgrim’s facility from a fresh foodservice and deboning operation to a full-scale debone and portioning complex by July 2017. Construction on the project will start on 12 October 2016.

These plans will help Pilgrim’s Pride process larger chickens, while simultaneously providing greater efficiency by increasing its liveweight production by 1m pounds per week. Plans for the $24m project will see Pilgrim’s help local family-run chicken farms build 75 broiler houses to raise chickens used by the company.

Growth targeted
 
We’re excited about the opportunities the Mayfield expansion will provide to our customers and the local community,​” said Bill Lovette, Pilgrim’s CEO. “This investment is a key part of our recently announced cash flow reinvestment plan to provide key customers with opportunities to accelerate sales and grow their businesses with a trusted partner​.”

In the company’s full-year trading results for 2015, announced in February, Pilgrim’s announced a capital investment plan​ that would allow the company to use its strong balance sheet to pump $1.9bn into various company-wide improvements.

Pilgrim’s investment in the Mayfield complex – its first poultry processing unit in the US state of Kentucky – is one such investment the company has planned for this year.

Local opportunities

The current complex manager at Pilgrim’s Mayfield plant said the planned expansion “solidifies​” its position as a trusted and long-term employer in the region.

Pilgrim’s, a strong corporate partner in Kentucky since 1990, has grown its business across the globe and has become a well-respected household name,​” said Republican Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin in a statement.

We are thankful for the company’s reinvestment in Graves County. It will have tremendous impact on south-west Kentucky through new jobs, additional production and increased sales for area growers, farmers and feed suppliers. We are working every day to make the Commonwealth even more supportive of developments like this, and are grateful to Pilgrim’s for leading the way for others to follow.​”

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