Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
Expanding the pork value chain
In an effort to increase pork product production to meet ever-increasing retail demand, Eskort has expanded its Gauteng production capacity by 50% with a factory extension officially launched in mid-February.
The 10 000m² development is at the factory in Heidelberg, the small town where the company has produced pork products for 70 years.
According to Arnold Prinsloo, Eskort CEO, the expanded factory is equipped with the largest continuous box freezer in Africa, capable of freezing 120 000kg of products to -18°C every 24 hours.
Boxes move on a conveyor belt through the freezing chamber where the air is kept at -41°C, a temperature that occurs naturally only in polar regions.
According to Prinsloo, chilled and frozen warehouses in Heidelberg now have multi-level picking mezzanine floor systems, the first of its kind in the food industry in South Africa. These systems maximise vertical space by including floors that create additional levels for storage and picking, and they allow Eskort to handle a high volume of orders quickly and efficiently.
“The core objective of the factory extension is to create efficiencies. A big part of this expansion includes the addition of carcass chillers as well as the installation of a huge box freezer to accommodate the influx of raw material.”
Prinsloo said the addition doubled Eskort’s chilled and frozen cold stores, resulting in efficient picking and staging areas, allowing for the elimination of outsourcing costs.
“Our deboning lines have increased in size to meet the ever-rising demand. We also have new dispatch areas and loading bays to maximise productivity.”
The opening of the factory extension marks the next phase of growth for a company that started in the KwaZuluNatal Midlands town of Estcourt in 1917.
Prinsloo said: “Eskort’s farmers are shareholders in the company, its pork is antibiotic-free, and a massive investment in biosecurity – backed by international and local certification – means its premium export-quality products enjoy the trust of consumers throughout South Africa.” –