Pilgrim’s UK has added high-speed packing lines at its Bodmin site as part of an £1.8m investment.
The investment forms part of the pork producer’s ongoing strategy to maximise operational capacity and strengthen the sustainability of its sites as it progresses towards net zero.
The Bodmin site is the leading supplier of cooked bacon to some of the UK’s biggest food-to-go and QSR retailers. The new packing lines and a storage racking system – increasing overall pallet size by 20% to 120 spaces – will maximise the site’s operational capacity.
This has enabled the site to expand its cooked bacon offer and diversify its capabilities, meaning it can now process more than 400 tonnes of gammon per week and 80 tonnes of cooked bacon.
“Our Bodmin factory plays a vital role in the Pilgrim’s UK network,” said Bodmin site director Daniel Inch. “This package of investment forms part of our ongoing strategic focus on enhancing operations and increasing capacity across our UK business, while taking important strides towards our net zero commitment.”
The business has also invested in greenhouse gas reduction projects to reduce electricity and gas usage on-site, as part of its target to reach net zero CO2 emissions in its own operations by 2030.
Additionally, the site uses LED lighting and gets 53% of its power from solar panels. The company has plans to add further panels throughout the site with the aim of being completely off-grid during generating hours.
The investment has also allowed the company to add a new forklift and electric pallet truck fleet with built-in card access and shock monitoring to increase worker safety.
“Investing in state-of-the-art equipment and renewable tech like this, alongside nurturing our 270-strong team of dedicated people, while encouraging new talent into the industry, are key to ensuring a bright future for our Bodmin site,” said Inch.
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