Plant Openings & Expansions

Oland Breweries is expanding the capacity of its 135-year old plant in Halifax, Canada, from one million hectoliters per year to over 1.2 million per year. The $14 million project, which began in March, includes a series of upgrades to the fermentation system, yeast management and yeast storage areas, aging tank additions and a new keg line. All projects should be completed by November 2002.

Masterfoods, USA, a division of Mars Incorporated, has completed a $74 million expansion project at its confections plant in Cleveland, TN. The majority of the investment includes new equipment purchases and production line installations and modifications. The project did not involve any major building construction. Eighty new jobs have been created to support the additional capacity. The plant is one of only two in the nation that makes M&Ms and the only site that produces Twix bars. It produces 25 tractor-trailer loads a day of the chocolate sweets.

Cargill is nearing completion of its new $45 million plant in Chambly, Quebec. Construction of this 130,000 square-foot plant began in late 2001 and is scheduled to be complete in September 2002. The plant will process beef, pork, minced meat and sausage products ready to be sold.

Grupo Calvo is building a new tuna plant in Punta Gorda, El Salvador. The facility will increase tuna production to 600,000 pounds a day. Construction began in May of this year and is expected to add 700 jobs to the region.

Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. broke ground on an 112,000 square-foot expansion to Zeller Plastic, its plastic closures division located in Libertyville, IL. Scheduled to open in February 2003, the new $6.8 million facility will significantly increase warehousing capabilities, reduce order processing times and improve shipping efficiencies.