Plant Design/Management

Automation strategies expand beyond labor replacement

bredars@bnpmedia.com (Sammy Bredar) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Processors balance labor shortages, production demand, and SKU complexity with more targeted automation and AI-driven decision-making.

Ammega expands capabilities at Georgia facility with water-based polyurethane belt production

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:55:01 -0400

Facility in Buford, Ga., becomes Ammega's first global site to exclusively produce water-based polyurethane belts.

What meat and poultry processors should understand before purchasing or repurposing metal building systems

Fri, 15 May 2026 10:54:56 -0400

Ensuring a building's structural requirements meet processors' needs must be discussed early in the project planning process.

Episode 227: Mike McCarthy of Foods Connected discusses software solutions for operational efficiency

Tue, 12 May 2026 10:19:33 -0400

Mike McCarthy shares insights on how production management software solutions can help processors navigate the constantly evolving variables of the meat industry.

Data is king in processing line optimization

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:29:17 -0400

Emphasis on machine reliability and increasing output remain key motivators for processors' new equipment purchases.

Swaggerty’s Farm expands sausage production capacity

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:16 -0400

A 50,000-square-foot expansion boosts production capacity and efficiency while supporting continued growth.

A M King completes construction of Cheney Bros.' South Carolina facility

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:38:29 -0400

Refrigerator/freezer distribution facility in Florence, S.C., includes 45 loading docks, a Cheney Express and the largest culinary kitchen the company has developed to date.

Triumph Foods expands St. Joseph, Mo., facility

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:05:33 -0400

Pork processor Triumph Foods invests nearly $30 million to expand its St. Joseph, Mo., facility, increasing cold storage and shipping space and setting the stage for increased production.

Hertzog Meat Co. expands with new retail and further processing facility

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:15 -0400

Missouri-based meat processor's new facility features expanded protein processing capabilities, a retail meat market and additional value-added production for sliced, marinated and ready-to-cook products.

Three Rivers Meat strengthens focus on smoked meat products

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:50:01 -0400

Oklahoma-based Three Rivers Meat Co. expands its line of processed meats and value-added products, converting a portion of its butchering space for processed meats.

How thermal insulation affects safety, sanitation and asset reliability in meat and poultry plants

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:03:36 -0400

Meat plant thermal management directly affects food safety, maintenance planning and total cost of ownership.

Smithfield to build South Dakota processing plant for packaged meats, fresh pork

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:39 -0500

Proposed combined fresh pork and packaged meats facility will be the most modern of its kind in the US, with efficient process flow, advanced automation technology and a streamlined design.

Tovala signs lease for new food processing facility in Illinois

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:45:34 -0500

Building supports Tovala's expanding food manufacturing operations and reinforce Brennan Investment Group's expertise in food processing facilities.

Nothum consolidates all US operations

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 11:00:01 -0500

Nothum Food Processing Systems expands its facility to a 92,000-square-foot unified headquarters.

InnovAsian Cuisine to build frozen food manufacturing facility in Arkansas

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:15:56 -0500

InnovAsian selects Arkansas after a competitive multistate search, citing speed-to-market, a skilled workforce and strong local and state support as key factors.

Western Smokehouse Partners acquires Texas-based Junior’s Smokehouse

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:20:22 -0500

Western Smokehouse Partners builds a second manufacturing facility in Texas, breaking ground in early Q1 2026, to support existing customer growth.

Better For Butchery acquires Kentucky meat processing facility

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:30:18 -0500

Better For Butchery celebrates its acquisition of a 27,000-square-foot USDA-inspected processing facility in Princeton, Ky.

Charcuterie Artisans acquires La Quercia Cured Meats

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:25:10 -0500

Charcuterie Artisans plans a strategic modernization of the Norwalk, Iowa, facility, expanding its capacity by 50% and dedicating the facility exclusively to prosciutto production.

PAC Machinery Bags & Materials opens West Coast distribution center

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:00:10 -0500

Expansion allows PAC Machinery to better serve customers on the West Coast with faster deliveries and reduced shipping costs on select bags and materials for automatic bagging equipment.

Episode 219: AI-automation at meat plants with Creekstone Farms COO Andrew Baltz and Marble CEO Chafik Berber

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:06:36 -0500

In this interview, learn how plant workflow can improve with automation efforts, how AI will change the entire meat industry moving into the future, and things meat companies can do right now to integrate themselves with this emerging technology.

SafetyChain expands digital plant management platform with corrective and preventive action capabilities

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:45:05 -0500

SafetyChain’s CAPA Management replaces fragmented processes with a centralized, digital system that connects every task, record and approval from issue identification through to verified resolution.

Chorizo producer V&V Supremo Foods to open new Wisconsin facility

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:45:41 -0500

V&V Supremo Foods acquires 39 acres of land for a new production facility, supporting a needed capacity expansion for the company.

Balchem invests in food ingredients market with microencapsulated manufacturing facility

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:00:59 -0500

The plant is expected to open in 2027 and will increase production capacity of the company’s microencapsulation solutions: BakeShure, ConfecShure and MeatShure.

JBT Marel: Expert insights on sanitation for meat and poultry processing

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Dan Wolff, manager of sales engineering at JBT Marel, discusses cleaning and sanitation practices in meat and poultry processing.

Archer doubles manufacturing capacity with new California meat snack facility

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:20:42 -0400

The 140,000-square-foot facility opens at a pivotal time of growth for Archer, which is expected to hit over half a billion in sales by the end of 2026.

Rethinking energy efficiency: How poultry processors can cut operational costs with smarter pump technology

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:00:00 -0400

Energy savings, reduced maintenance, improved reliability and productivity gains associated with electric pumps offset higher initial costs when compared to air-operated pumps.

Episode 210: Helping protein manufacturers tackle facility expansion challenges

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:45:29 -0400

An integrated approach to meat and poultry facility expansion projects speeds up builds, control costs and reduces risk.

American Farmers Network acquires Open Range Beef

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:00:15 -0400

Acquisition expands American Farmers Network's vertically integrated footprint, linking ranchers, harvesting, fabrication, further processing and national distribution.

America’s Heartland Packing celebrates LEED-certified beef harvest facility opening

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

America’s Heartland Packing hosts an open house for its Missouri beef harvest facility.

Seaboard Foods acquires three farms to strengthen pork supply chain

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:30:04 -0400

Seaboard Foods announces the purchase of three farms in Texas and Oklahoma.