Meat&Poultry - December 2012 - 8

Commentary
BY BRYAN SALVAGE
bsalvage@sosland.com

People power
The most enjoyable part of my job is visiting packing and processing plants, witnessing fi rst-hand the expert hand-craftsmanship (such as at Allen Brothers’ Chicago plant, which is featured in this issue) and various in-plant technologies, but most importantly meeting the people who make these facilities hum. While reflecting on the plants visited this year, one plant clearly stands out — Hormel Foods’ Austin, Minn., plant. (See the June 2012 cover story in Meat&Poultry.) This 1.1 million-sq.-ft. facility turned 30 years old in September. What’s scary is I remember visiting the construction site of this plant on a cold winter’s afternoon in the early 80s and stumbling over frozen mud and foundation work while taking notes. The original Austin plant spanned 54 acres, towered nine-floors high at the tallest spot and was the largest meat plant in the world in its heyday. The facility today remains one of the largest meat plants in the world – and is a modern technological marvel. This plant is six plants under one roof – dry sausage, meat products, grocery products (canning), shipping warehouse, harvest and fabrication plus a large refi nery operation – all connected by common passageways. It employs almost 1,750 people. Products manufactured total 1.3 million lbs. per year, representing about one- eight h of t he annual product volume produced by the entire company. The Austin plant is different in many ways. Hormel has a partnership with Quality Pork Processors
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EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor

Joel Crews
Executive Editor

Inc., which is located at one side of the facility. All fresh pork QPP processes goes to Hormel Foods, which utilizes the meat cuts and trimmings throughout the Austin facility. The facility’s Automatic Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), which has been operating since day one, is a 14-level-high, computerized warehouse that stores and retrieves products by bar code. Hormel’s high-pressure processing system used on some of its products was initiated in the Austin plant through R&D. Many ergonomically designed pieces of machinery and assists eliminate physical stresses created by some jobs on the line. As this plant evolves, space keeps getting tighter, but Hormel manages to squeeze more production out of it each year through innovation, not by adding brick and mortar. But more than anything else, Hormel executives credited their employees for making the company successful. Most workers I spoke with credited teamwork and working closely together for the facility’s continued success. During my long drive home, it dawned on me the one thing all successful companies I’ve visited over the years have in common are caring, hard-working employees. Here’s a big “thank you” to the thousands of men and women who work tirelessly every day behind the scenes at meat and poultry facilities all around the country. ■

Keith Nunes
Senior Editor

Bryan Salvage
Managing Editor

Kimberlie Clyma
Contributing Editors

Richard Alaniz Donna Berry Steve Kay Leo Quigley

Larry Aylward Dr. Temple Grandin Steve Krut Bernard Shire

Internet Editor

Erica Shaffer
Graphic Designer

Fiona Rogers

PUBLISHING STAFF
Chairman and Group Publisher

Charles S. Sosland
Vice-Chairman

L. Joshua Sosland
President, Publishing Director

Mark Sabo
Publisher

Dave Crost
North American Sales Director

Bruce Brown
Publisher Emeritus

Mike Alaimo

BUSINESS/PRODUCTION STAFF
Vice-President & Chief Financial Officer

Melanie Hepperly
Audience Development Director

Don Keating
Director of E-Business

Jon Hall
Director of On-line Advertising and Promotions

Carrie Fluegge
Circulation Manager

Judy Arnone
Design Services Manager

Sadowna Conarroe
Manager of Advertising Design

Becky White
Classified Sales Representative

Lily O’Kane
Classified Designer

Steve Piatt
Digital Systems Analyst

Marj Potts
Advertising Manager

Nora Wages
Advertising Materials Coordinator

Sharon Alexander
Sales: dcrost@sosland.com Editorial: jcrews@sosland.com www.MeatPoultry.com Address editorial correspondence to: Editor, Meat&Poultry, 4800 Main Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64112. Phone: (816) 756-1000 Fax: (816) 756-0494 Letters via email can be sent to meatpoultry@sosland.com. Letters may also be sent via fax to (816) 756-0494. The Editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, content and clarity. Requests for reprints of articles should be sent to reprints@sosland.com or call Taré Torres at (816) 756-1000.

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Meat&Poultry - December 2012

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