Australia-Meat plant expands.

AUSTRALIA-MEAT PLANT EXPANDS.

MEAT processing giant T&R Pastoral is sailing through the economic storm.

With demand for red meat growing globally and domestically, the company has embarked on a $45 million capital expenditure program and is set to increase staff numbers in coming months.

As regional South Australia’s largest employer, the company has more than 1200 workers at its Murray Bridge plant with 400 more at Lobethal.

T&R’s executive director Darren Thomas said the company’s plan to make the Murray Bridge site the most modern export plant in Australia, would secure the jobs of its workers for the next 30 years. "There will be significantly more opportunity and it is a positive step at a time when people are losing their jobs - we still have a high demand for employment," Mr Thomas said.

"We are the State’s ninth largest employer and largest private employer in the State and will employ more people in the future," he said.

"There will also be good opportunities for traineeships and apprenticeships for people in Murray Bridge and the rest of the State."

The plant’s renovations included doubling the size of its cold store, a brand new state-of-the-art mutton and lamb boning room, increased freezing capacity and an upgrade of water treatment processes.

"The new plant gives us future stability - it will provide growth and with that growth we will require more people," he said.

The present site’s capacity allowed for the daily slaughter of 14,000 sheep and lambs, plus 800 cattle.