DODGE CITY, Kan. – Local, state and federal officials joined Cargill’s celebration of opening a new boxed beef distribution center. Kansas Gov. Sam Brown back was among the dignitaries who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new facility represents an investment of nearly $50 million.
The center features more than 9,000 ft. of conveyor belts connected to shelving that can hold approximately 133,000 60-lb. boxes of beef. Crane-like devices move boxes in an out of shelves. The system can store an average of 40,000 boxes, while simultaneously shipping another 40,000 boxes to Cargill customers worldwide. The company announced the project in 2013.
“As customer requirements become more complex, we strive to maintain a reputation of exceeding their expectations,” said John Keating, president of Cargill Beef. “Our processing plant at Dodge City plays a key role in our beef business, and the new distribution system will help us retain our ability to promptly deliver the highest quality products to our customers.”
The center replaces a 30-year-old system while lowering operating and maintenance costs. The new system also brings increased efficiency and reliability to the company’s operations. An added bonus of the plant is improved energy use.
Cargill Beef is based in Wichita, Kan. The Dodge City facility is the largest of six Cargill beef processing plants in the US. The facility opened in 1979 and currently processes more than 5,400 cattle each day, distributing products across the nation and to seven countries.
