Tyson Foods has announced that it is investing $27m to expand the production capacity of its case-ready beef and pork plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The investment is being made by Tyson Fresh Meats, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tyson Foods.
The expansion will see addition of 55,000ft2 area to the facility for new production lines and warehouse space.
It will increase the plant’s capacity to make fresh ground beef, beef and pork cuts, and meal kits.
Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Bob Mundt said: “Tyson Fresh Meats’ announcement is great news for the Council Bluffs community.
“Tyson Fresh Meats is not only one of the largest employers in the area, it’s a significant contributor to our local economy. We look forward to the jobs that will be created through this expansion.”
The company said that it has already started construction work on the plant expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in July 2017.
The project is expected to create 350 additional jobs, taking the total headcount at the facility to over 1,400.
Tyson Foods operates three facilities in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, employing nearly 2,000 people. Besides the case-ready facility, the company has a pepperoni plant in Council Bluffs and a bacon plant in Omaha.
The Council Bluffs case-ready plant complex manager Steve Friedrichsen said: “We are committed to the Council Bluffs community and look forward adding more jobs with this expansion, while also meeting the growing demand for case-ready products.”
Tyson Foods said that the Council Bluffs case-ready plant generated an annual payroll of $37m in 2015.
Earlier this month, Tyson Foods announced that it will invest $14m to expand its chicken processing facility in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
