Tyson champions warehouse automation and robotics in $180M plant expansion
Tyson Foods, Inc., broke ground Wednesday on a multi-million expansion project in the Metro East.
The company’s plant in Caseyville, Illinois will expand by 170,000 square feet. Tyson officials say the expansion could lead to anywhere from 200-500 new jobs. It’s also expected to bring new production lines and increase the level of automation at the plant.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the expansion of our Caseyville prepared foods plant, creating new job opportunities for those in the community and keeping workplace ease and efficiency in mind for our current team members,” said Noelle O’Mara, Group President of Prepared Foods for Tyson Foods. “With automated warehousing and robotics at the heart of the project, we’re looking forward to its full completion.”
The Caseyville facility currently has 293 employees. Tyson Foods had recently raised their total compensation, including boosting hourly wages to at least $21 an hour.
1/2: It was a great morning in St. Clair County, IL as @TysonFoods broke ground on the $180 million expansion of their Caseyville facility. The 170,000 s.f. expansion will add 250 new jobs to the existing workforce of nearly 300. pic.twitter.com/s4tQD83xHR
— Mark Kern (@ChairmanKern) August 3, 2022
The meat company has been on a tear of plant expansions and hiring this past year. In Tyson’s May earnings call, CEO Donnie King said it planned to launch about 10 projects to expand capacity for the third quarter, representing 25 million pounds of volume for prepared foods alone.
Most recently, Tyson announced a $90 million project to increase capacity at its chicken processing plant in Forest, Mississippi. The expansion, which includes adding automation, would create more than 320 jobs.
Our manufacturing industry is booming and @TysonFoods’ expansion in Illinois is a prime example.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) August 3, 2022
Thanks to our EDGE credit program, Tyson is:
✅ Investing $180 million in the community
✅ Creating over 250 new jobs pic.twitter.com/ygsrktflFf
Within prepared foods, Tyson has been especially active in launching new products around snacking and breakfast. Last September, it entered the kids snacking segment with the launch of Hillshire Farm Snacked. The addition joins other snack options in its portfolio including Any’tizers chicken appetizers.
And for Jimmy Dean, Tyson has added plant-based options, as well as a snack offer for breakfast: Breakfast Nuggets, breaded pieces of seasoned meats, eggs and cheese.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined the company Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming expansion.
“I am thrilled to celebrate the expansion of Tyson Foods’ Caseyville facility thanks to our EDGE credit program,” said Pritzker. “Tyson’s decision to expand in Illinois speaks to our strengths in manufacturing, our world-class infrastructure, and our abundant and highly talented workforce.”
Tyson’s Caseyville plant is a larger producer of Hillshire Farm® and Jimmy Dean® products. The company has a significant economic impact on Illinois. outputting nearly $1 billion in Illinois alone. Tyson has more than 4,000 current full-time staff members in Illinois and nearly 300 staff members in Caseyville.
