CORYDON, IND. — Tyson Foods Inc. plans to expand its poultry-processing operations in Corydon, Ind., which will create 78 new jobs in the next year. The company plans to invest $626,000 in new equipment to relocate chicken deboning lines from Arkansas and Missouri to its 130,000 square-foot facility in Harrison County.

Producing more than 127 million pounds of fried, marinated and rotisserie chicken per year for grocery store delis, the Corydon branch employs 650 workers and plans to begin hiring more production associates immediately.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance plant efficiencies, we're making some operational changes that will involve more jobs," said David Whittington, complex manager for Tyson Foods. "Instead of continuing to ship certain cuts of chicken to outside plants in other states for deboning, we've decided to do the work right here in Indiana. This means the installation of new equipment at the Corydon facility and the addition of 78 new jobs."

The facility is starting to ramp up the new production line and anticipates full production by early December.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Tyson Foods up to $160,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. The Harrison County Economic Development Corporation will provide Tyson Foods an additional $50,000 toward workforce training and other expenses to assist with the expansion.