The drive for optimal productivity is making automation increasingly important, and newer robotic technologies are among the machines set to play larger roles in meat and poultry plant operations.
West Liberty Foods won the meat-processing lottery in 2014, when it purchased the former Quantum Foods facility in Bolingbrook, Ill. — a jackpot that already has paid dividends and has an aggressive growth plan in place.
In January 2016, a jackpot of historic proportions grabbed the attention of the nation — those who purchased Powerball tickets hoped the record $1.58 billion prize would land in their laps and change their fortunes.
Too often business owners take an ostrich-like approach to the potential of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes wreaking havoc on their company.
Butterball has made sizeable investments into the Raeford plant beyond the initial purchase, feeding into its goal to become more focused on adding value to its commodity product lines.
In mid-November, Andy Hanacek, editor-in-chief, visited Raeford, N.C., in order to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and get an exclusive tour of the new Butterball further-processing plant there (which was also still under construction at presstime).
In almost every facility on earth (and I don’t think I am exaggerating) there is a place in which equipment and spare parts are kept that someone thinks is important to keep but not part of any system of control.
On June 15, 2012, the Obama Administration announced that certain individuals who came to the United States as children, and met certain criteria, would be eligible for temporary resident status through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
While options abound for processors, choosing the right conveying system requires consideration of the task at hand as well as the abuse the system will take.
"Hurry up and get that conveyor running,” is barked over the radio as one critical piece of equipment has brought a processing department to a standstill.