MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — Cargill announced on Aug. 13 that it has completed a  $5 million plant expansion at its El Salto, Jalisco, Mexico location.

The plant, which originally opened in 2004, will now triple in capacity to produce more than 9,000 tonnes of premix per month, and employ 85 people. It will produce premix for all species, including aquaculture, with an emphasis on poultry and swine, and will serve markets in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.


“We are significantly improving food safety by redesigning the production flow and physically separating all of the lines to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination,” said Mariano Berdegue, managing director of Cargill’s premix animal nutrition business for Latin America North, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Andean regions. “Additionally, we have invested in a state-of-the-art manual and automatic weighing and mixing systems that will help us ensure the nutritional precision of our products.”

In addition to the El Salto plant’s expansion, which was completed May 31, the location also includes a brand-new warehouse, with capacity for 2,000 tonnes of ingredients, plus 700 tonnes of finished premix product.

“This upgraded facility will allow us to better serve our swine, poultry, ruminant, fish and shrimp customers,” said Berdegue. “We are a proud member of this community and are enthused about what this new facility means to our employees and to our customers.”

In conjunction with the reopening announcement, Cargill introduced a $7.2 billion business plan for Mexico from 2015-18. These announcements celebrate Cargill’s 150th Anniversary and its 50-year presence in Mexico. Since 1965, Cargill Mexico has been in operation, with more than 1,750 employees in 13 states and 30 facilities.