Intercontinental Packers in Saskatoon is moving to a four-day work week to make more efficient use of its plant.
The change is causing SPI Marketing Group to alter the operations at four of its northern assembly yards.
Stu Irvine, Intercon plant manager, said the change will hardly affect the facility’s weekly output because its slaughter rate will increase to 3,000 a day over four days from 2,400-2,500 a day over five days.
“We think this is an opportunity to make us a more cost effective producer,” Irvine said.
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Slaughter and processing will be co-ordinated so that no fresh hogs will hang in the cooler over the weekend. The change should also reduce maintenance time, he said.
“Fresh pork is the area in our industry that has taken the most pressure to be cost effective. We’ve never done this before, and I’m not aware of it being done in the industry. I guess it will be a learning experience for the (union) bargaining unit and ourselves.”
The change means SPI’s yards in North Battleford, Lloydminster and Neilburg will move from Thursday to Wednesday assembly beginning Feb. 12.
Saskatoon assembly of sows and boars will have the following schedule: Sunday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Wednesday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday closed.
There is no change at other yards.
