SÃO PAULO – JBS SA opened its latest beef processing plant on Jan. 9 in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso as the company tries to increase its production inside its home country.

Renato Costa, CEO and president of JBS’s Friboi beef division, said in a statement that the company invested $70 million reals ($17.1 million) into the facility, which can process 500 animals per day. The new plant will generate 300 jobs for the area.

“We have invested not only in building an excellent plant with modern equipment and workflows, but also in training a high quality local workforce with a focus on occupational safety,” Costa said. “We will continue to invest in all our plants in the coming years, which reaffirms the Company’s long-term commitment to Brazil.”

The statement also said this was the first stage of investment in this plant with the possibility of an additional 900 jobs being created when production capacity increases.

In further news, JBS announced that during the first quarter of 2020 it would start operating two new hamburger lines in the city of Campo Grande, which will double their production capacity.

The company also said that the facility in the municipality of Senador Canedo would start a second work shift to keep up with the global demand for animal protein.