A meat processing company based in southeast Iowa has purchased the assets of a defunct company in suburban Chicago. West Liberty Foods expects to start up processing operations at the former Quantum Foods location in Bolingbrook, Illinois within a month.
West Liberty Foods President and CEO Ed Garrett says the expansion will have little impact on the company’s 1,200 employees at facilities in West Liberty and Mount Pleasant. “We have no plans on reducing any product lines out of either of the facilities with our move over there,” Garrett said. “We will balance our production lines, but with no impact on employees at the two locations in Iowa.”
Quantum Foods filed for bankruptcy and then closed earlier this year. Garrett, who’s hoping to bring back many of the employees who lost their jobs, noted the Bolingbrook facility – built in 1990 – is in great shape. “It’s got all of the state of the art equipment. It’s existing equipment that we’re very familiar with and know how to run it,” Garrett said. “It’s just a natural fit in the growth and the continuous improvement of West Liberty Foods.”
The sale price has not been disclosed. In addition to the plants in Iowa, West Liberty Foods has a facility in Tremonton, Utah.