National Baking Company to open new plant in MoBay
Published:Monday | January 8, 2024 | 1:09 PM
National Baking Company is investing $6.7 billion on its first state-of-the-art bread plant in Montego Bay, which will be powered partially by robots.
National's chairman and managing director, Butch Hendrickson, made the announcement at the unveiling at the Hilton Rose Hall Monday morning.
The 120,000 square-foot plant, which has the capacity to produce over 3,600 loaves per day will be situated in Catherine Hall.
It's set to be completed 2025 and will enhance the organisation's ability to export to places like the USA.
“This is part of our ongoing commitment to delivering fresh product to these areas in a shorter timeframe. This will be a fast plant a very efficient plant,” Hendrickson told the gathering after a bread breaking ceremony with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding.
The facility will distribute to St James, St Ann, Trelawny Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth.
“We are going to open new opportunities of storage, production tonnage and logistics, allowing us to better meet the demands of our growing international markets,” stated Hendrickson in the presence of his parents Karl and Nell Hendrickson.
Most importantly, National will incorporate the use of robotics for the first time in its businesses and with the aim of reducing laborious, repetitive processes.
“Processes that human beings just can't do anymore. So we are going to be maximising efficiency, by using advanced production processes and new generation robotics,” he stated.
Hendrickson noted that cutting-edge plant robotics will enhance production efficiencies, requiring a highly skilled workforce for the 75 direct jobs it will create.
Hendrickson highlighted, that plant operators will need to be highly qualified, reflecting the specialised skills needed to operate machinery and manage the intricacies of the plant.
“We expect them to be high-income earners.”
- Janet Silvera
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