Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork processor and hog producer, resumed partial operations at its Tar Heel, North Carolina, packing plant Oct. 21 after shoring up part of the roof that gave way Oct. 19, a company spokeswoman said.
The Tar Heel plant is the largest packing plant in the world, with estimated slaughter capacity of more than 34,000 head per day.
Maintenance crews are investigating and repairing a roof beam that had separated over part of the plant. Partial operations were expected to resume Oct. 21 and become fully operational Oct. 22, said Smithfield's director of corporate communications, Kathleen Kirkham.
Employees were sent home Oct. 19 to ensure their safety, said Kirkham, adding that nearby Smithfield plants, including Tar Heel when it becomes fully operational, are running additional shifts to make up for production losses.
Smithfield is a wholly owned subsidiary of China-based pork processor WH Group Ltd, which acquired it for nearly $5 billion in 2013.
