Cargill Beef says it will spend $48 million to install an automated order distribution system at its Dodge City meatpacking plant.
The Wichita-based company said Tuesday the system will be housed in a specially built 62,000-square-foot facility. Construction is to begin late this year, with the new system expected to be in operation by the spring of 2015.
Cargill said the automated system will improve the flow of highly perishable fresh meat products to hundreds of destinations. The company said the system will be capable of holding about 155,000 boxes of beef, compared with a current capacity of about 25,000 boxes.
The Dodge City plant opened in 1979 and processes about 6,000 head of cattle per day.