THE construction of the new meat processing facility at Murray Bridge has taken another step forward with Thomas Foods International appointing a principal contractor for the design and construction of stage one.
The plant will be built at a greenfield site located approximately 10 kilometres outside of the Murray Bridge town centre and replaces the original facility destroyed by fire on January 3, 2018.
TFI chief executive officer Darren Thomas said the contractor BADGE was chosen after a comprehensive competitive tender process.
"We look forward to now working alongside BADGE, a fellow South Australian family-owned company, in creating what will become a global showcase of advanced food manufacturing," he said.
"The fire, as devastating and disruptive as it was, has given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something truly special.
"We have been determined since Day One not just to replace to the facility at Murray Bridge but to build something bigger and better."
Mr Thomas said they wanted the new facility to set the industry benchmark for technology, efficiency, environmental sustainability, animal welfare and workplace safety.
Construction works are expected to begin before the end of the year and expected to take place across the next two years.
Stage One will include beef processing facilities with an initial capacity of up to 600 head a day, animal handling facilities, a beef boning room with automated packaging technology, employee amenities and administration facilities, a fully- automated carton chilling and freezing and storage systems.
It is expected to create about 500 jobs.
BADGE managing director,Jim Whiting said contractor was excited to be involved in the "landmark" development.
"Our company has a 38-year history working in the food and beverage industry and we have an existing relationship with the Thomas family, having recently completed TFI's Adelaide head office building," he said.
"We commend Thomas Foods International for its foresight in undertaking a project of this size that will create significant economic benefits to the region and the state."
He said construction would also partner with a number of other South Australian businesses, such as Ahrens, who will supply all the specialised structural steel for the project.
"We see many other opportunities for local subcontractors as construction gets underway," he said.
The exact timing of the subsequent stages of the development is yet to be determined but will include the addition of smallstock (sheep and lambs) processing facilities and further expansion of the beef facilities to take the plant's total processing capacity to 1200 head of beef and 15,000 head of smallstock a day.
Works are already underway on a 2.2km public link road between Mannum Road and the development site under a federal and state government-funded infrastructure program.
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