Tyson Foods announced a new facility adjacent to its former Hanceville, Alabama, Tyson Foods River Valley Ingredients rendering plant. The previous plant was part of Tyson’s Hanceville complex and suffered a total loss due to a fire in July 2021.
The new $208 million, 121,000-square-foot facility is the single largest investment in Hanceville to date. The facility is expected to be complete in mid-2023. Tyson Foods is retaining its 124 team members who worked at the previous Hanceville plant throughout the two-year construction period.
“This investment signals our continued support to the agricultural industry and jobs in Alabama, and we look forward to a renewed relationship with the Hanceville community and its leaders,” said Jason Spann, complex manager at the Hanceville Tyson Foods facility.
The Hanceville rendering plant is critical to Alabama’s agricultural industry, servicing many of the state’s poultry processors and their employees, as well as others in neighboring states. The rendering process helps reduce waste by breaking down and cooking the parts of the chicken people don’t eat into usable proteins and fats. In addition to providing a good, concentrated source of protein for animal feed and pet food, the rendering process helps to maximize food production while decreasing use of energy and inputs.
“This facility has provided hundreds of jobs in Cullman County for years and the new plant will continue that legacy,” said Jeff Clemons, Commission Chairman of Cullman County. “River Valley helped Cullman become a leader in poultry production in Alabama and the country. We are honored to have Tyson Foods rebuild in Cullman.”
Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail said the rendering plant is located outside the town limits of Hanceville but said he views the company as a part of his community. “We have never had a company more supportive of community projects and needs. Tyson Foods is a great corporate citizen and Hanceville will continue to claim them as our company.”
Cullman Economic Agency Director Dale Greer echoed Mayor Nail’s comment on the company’s community support. “The night of the fire dozens of fire departments responded to the blaze to help limit the damage. At a time when Tyson Foods was devising a plan to handle waste to allow Alabama processing plants to reopen, they wrote checks for more than $258,000 for new equipment for 13 fire departments that helped extinguish the fire.”
Greer noted Cullman community support played a significant role in Tyson Foods’ decision to rebuild in Cullman County. “Tyson Foods could realistically build a new plant in dozens of locations in the Southeast. They are reinvesting here because there is a history of local and state government support for the company and a proven track record that Cullman County can provide a quality, dependable workforce. It is a true partnership.”
“As a family company, it’s important to us to be the most sought-after place to work, operate as a good neighbor, conserve natural resources and protect the environment,” said Spann.
