October 1, 2009
Tyson considers expanding North Carolina meat plant
Tyson Foods is considering expanding the fresh meat plant located in Wilkesboro at North Carolina.
The expansion could add as many as 300 jobs, and include a 16,000 square foot addition to the plant, said complex manager Mark Welborn.
Before cutbacks earlier this year, the complex was processing 1.9 million birds per week. The plant now processes 1.65 million birds for a five-day week, and had to open on Saturdays for several weeks to process 1.9 million birds due to demand.
The expansion will add enough capacity to process 1.9 million heads in a five-day week, said Welborn.
But to achieve that, the plant will need more equipment, more workers and more growers, he said.
Welborn said if projections are accurate, the expansion could be done in eight to 10 months.
More de-boned chicken is being processed at the plant to meet growing consumer demand, he added.
