Tyson has completed the expansion of its poultry processing plant in Forest, Mississippi. The company hopes that the $90 million expansion will increase its capacity to serve a growing global consumer base.
While other companies scale back, Tyson keeps growing and investing in modern food production despite a continuous barrage of lawsuits. The expansion will also create 320 new jobs in the area, contributing to the 1,250 workers that the Forest facility already employs. Tyson’s local economic impact alone is $58 million each year while employing over 3,400 workers in Mississippi.
The new processing facility will increase productivity using technology, boasting a new automation line. The automation line is part of the $1.3 billion Tyson planned to invest in automating parts of its production lines. The improvements should assist with the most labor-intensive areas of their business such as deboning chickens.
“We’re excited about the expansion project at Forest and our continued efforts to increase our automation footprint,” said David Bray, Tyson group president of poultry. “This project demonstrates our ability to execute a product mix change that translates into less intensive labor for team members while creating more jobs at a competitive pay structure. It’s a win-win to support the long-term growth of the Forest community and our operations.”
Earlier this year, Tyson committed $1.8 billion to open 12 plants during the next two years. These openings will increase processing capacity by over one billion pounds.
Last year, Tyson committed $61 million to expand another Mississippi processing plant in Vicksburg. The Vicksburg facility employs 500 people, and this expansion will add another 50 jobs.
