Excel To Convert Marshall, Mo., To Case Ready, Increase Hog Capacity At Wapello County, Iowa
For Immediate Release: May 1, 2001
Contact: Mark Klein (952) 742-6211
Excel Corporation said today that it will convert its hog processing plant in Marshall, Mo., into a multi-customer, beef and pork case-ready facility later this summer and increase its hog-buying capacity at its Wapello County, Iowa, facility.
"The proximity of Marshall to an excellent interstate system and major population centers makes it an ideal site for Excel's first Midwestern beef and pork case-ready plant," said Doug Fangmann, who will continue as general manager at Marshall.
Excel will invest $15 million to convert the Marshall plant, Kilgore said.
Excel recently announced the construction of a case-ready beef and pork facility in Hazleton, Penn., to serve several customers in the Northeast United States. Excel also has case-ready beef and pork facilities in Newnan, Ga., and Toronto, Ontario.
Excel will cease hog processing at Marshall on July 25 and focus its hog-processing capabilities at plants in Wapello County, Iowa, and Beardstown, Ill.
"Excel will continue to be an aggressive buyer of Missouri hogs and we will be creating value-added pork products through Marshall's case-ready business," said Tom Hayes, who heads the Excel Pork business unit. "With the growth in Wapello and this new case-ready facility in Marshall we will continue providing the highest quality fresh pork products to our customers both now and into the future."
The Wapello County facility has been increasing capacity in recent years, from 9,500 hogs per day in 1996 to the current levels of 14,000. Excel expects to raise the capacity to 16,000 a day this year. That expansion will add about 50 jobs in Wapello County.
Within about six months after opening as a case-ready facility in August, the Marshall plant will employ about 550 people. The plant currently employs about 900 people. Marshall employees will be considered for positions at Excel's pork plants in Wapello County and Beardstown, as well as elsewhere in the Excel system.
Excel acquired the Marshall plant from Tyson in 1995 as part of a transaction in which Tyson acquired Cargill's U.S. chicken operations.
Based in Wichita, Kan., Excel is a leader in providing innovative red meat solutions to customers and consumers.