Fire crews recently battled a large blaze at a Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory in Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.
SunPork Group, which owns Swickers, said in a statement that the export distribution center, boning room and chillers were destroyed in the fire. But the processing floor, value-add facilities, offices, a new warehouse chiller and dry goods store were undamaged. No one was injured, and no pigs were on site.
SunPork added that the cause of the fire is under investigation but it is not being treated as suspicious. No one was injured during this event and no pigs were on site. The fire comes just as the company prepares for the holiday season.
Dr. Robert van Barneveld, Group CEO and managing director of the SunPork Group, said the company planned to have the processing floor operational within a week to ensure that all pork producers and processors have a place to send their pigs in the lead up to Christmas. Short-term arrangements also are in the works for alternative processing in the coming week.
“We are also in discussions with other boning facilities to meet our needs until such time that our own facilities can be restored, and we will work with our staff to develop re-deployment plans in these facilities for the duration” van Barneveld said in a statement.
Swickers is the only export-accredited bacon factory in Queensland, Australia. The pork processor engages in pig slaughter and wholesale of fresh pork including hams, bacon and other products.
