ST-HYACINTHE, QC, Sept. 10, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Following major renovations and a $3 million investment, Olymel management today announced the start of a second slaughter shift at its hog slaughtering, cutting and boning plant in Ange-Gardien, Montérégie (formerly Agromex - F. Ménard). This addition of activities has resulted in the creation of 150 new jobs so far, bringing the number of employees working at this facility to over 700. Over 100 new positions are expected to be filled in the coming months.
Announced last February, the renovation work to accommodate this second shift was completed on schedule. The improvements required to set up this evening shift included the addition of refrigeration space and freezing capacity, the expansion of the cafeteria and parking areas, and the upgrading of wastewater treatment equipment. The plant's weekly slaughter capacity will therefore increase from 25,000 to 35,000 hogs in the coming weeks. This increase in Olymel's slaughter volume should also help improve the backlog of hogs awaiting slaughter, whose numbers have reached an unprecedented level in Quebec.
"The increase in slaughter capacity at the Ange-Gardien plant fulfills the development goals Olymel set when it acquired F. Ménard. This investment will also allow our company to increase its production of value-added products, such as chilled pork, a product that is particularly popular in the Japanese market that the Ange-Gardien plant already serves, in addition to the domestic market. In a difficult period, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, this increase in activity will generate optimism and positive economic spin-offs for the entire Montérégie region. I would like to salute the collaboration of the Agromex workers' union represented by the Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD) for their openness and collaboration throughout the development of this growth project," said Réjean Nadeau, President and CEO of Olymel.
About Olymel
Olymel is Canada's leader in the production, processing and distribution of pork and poultry meats. The company has made feeding the world its mission, which it pursues passionately with products of impeccable quality. It employs nearly 15,000 people and has production and processing facilities in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Olymel exports nearly a third of its total sales. Its annual sales reach $4.5 billion. The company markets its products mainly under the Olymel, Lafleur, Flamingo, Pinty's, Tour Eiffel and F. Ménard brands.
SOURCE Olymel l.p.
Richard Vigneault, Corporate Communications, 514-497-1385, 450-771-0400 or 1-800-463-7568
Share this article