October 20, 2008

Maple Leaf Foods has achieved its goal of a full double shift at its hog processing facility located in Brandon, Manitoba, an official with the company confirmed Friday (October 17).

"The facility is now licensed to slaughter 86,000 hogs per week," said Jeanette Jones, director of communications for Maple Leaf Foods. The facility achieved that goal at the end of September/beginning of October, she said.

The ability to move to a second full shift at Brandon was linked to the completion of the expansion of that city's waste water treatment plant, Jones said. The upgrade to the waste water facility began in 2007.

Maple Leaf has invested C$120 million in its facilities in Manitoba, which included the expansion of its Brandon plant to a full second shift; an upgrade to the water treatment and waste facility in Brandon; and an upgrade to its Lagimodiere Road plant in Winnipeg. The upgrade included consolidating its ham boning operations at the facility.