Banham Poultry is to start the next phase of a multi-million-pound programme of improvements at its Norfolk-based processing plant.
Over the past 18-months, Chesterfield Poultry, who purchased Banham Poultry in 2018, have invested £11m at the 12-acre Attleborough site.
Most recently the business – which processes nearly one million chickens a week – spent £160,000 updating its materials handling and product despatch areas, including the installation of new automated racking facilities.
The next phase of this major investment, which is due to start shortly, will see a £500,000 overhaul and increase in capacity of the plant’s outdated and dilapidated odour abatement system.
Work will include replacing existing ventilation infrastructure and additional odour scrubbing capacity to ensure that discharge thresholds are achieved. It is due to be completed in the late spring and will help minimise odours associated with the processing of the birds.
Banham Poultry Managing Director Blaine Van Rensburg said: “This significant programme of improvements to totally transform our Attleborough plant will make it one of the most modern in the sector.
“The work will also benefit those living in close proximity to our site by reducing both noise and odour emissions.”
Following a fire at the factory on the outskirts of the town two decades ago, Banham’s moved to their current location, which was only meant to be a temporary stop gap whilst the building was replaced.
Van Rensburg added: “We are fully committed to reducing our impact as much as possible and, over the coming months, this work will help is achieve this.”
