Clemens Food Group
Once-in-a-Century Opportunity.
Clemens Food Group is one of the leading pork processing companies in the U.S. In 2014, the company came to Gray in need of facility to support its growing operations. They chose Coldwater, Michigan as the greenfield project site – the company’s first in its 125-year history.
- LocationColdwater, MI
- Square Footage650,000 s.f.
- Operational28 months
“At a fundamental level, Gray’s and Clemens’ values align with one another. We needed to partner with somebody where trust was the cornerstone of the journey,” said Doug Clemens, President and CEO Clemens Food Group.
Putting Shared Values into Practice
As family-owned businesses, both Gray and Clemens put worker safety, food safety, and animal welfare first. The Coldwater facility delivers all three – with significant innovation.
The facility follows Temple Grandin’s humane livestock handling methods, designed to provide comfort, fresh water, and freedom of movement. Each hog is tracked throughout the process and passes through multiple USDA inspections. The facility features a -25 degree Fahrenheit Snap Chill freezer with a 3,128-ft. chain, the longest and fastest Snap Chill in the world.
Coldwater’s automation process greatly increased efficiency, reduced the building’s size, and shortened the production cycle. Clean-in-Place and Clean-Out-Of-Place ensures thorough sanitation and food safety technology throughout the facility. Most importantly: the Clemens and Gray teams celebrated 1,000,000 safe man-hours with more than 1,000 workers onsite during the 28-month construction process.
Project Gallery
Clemens Chooses Gray for First Greenfield Facility
Project Updates
- Clemens and Gray Break Ground on New Facility
- Clemens Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Michigan Plant
- Gray and Clemens Celebrate One Million Safe Hours on the Job
- Gray and Clemens Partner Again on New Expansion
Sharing Our Success
ProFood World recognized Gray and Clemens for the new Coldwater facility at the magazine’s annual Manufacturing Innovation Awards ceremony in Chicago. The leading industry publication recognized the companies for the state-of-the-art design/build project—Michigan’s first pork processing facility.
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