Smithfield Packing Company: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American-based meat product packer}} |
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'''Smithfield Packing Company''' was founded in 1936 by Joseph W. Luter and his son Joseph W. Luter, Jr., in the [[Smithfield, Virginia|town of Smithfield]] along the Pagan River, a tributary of the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]] in [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia]], United States, to produce [[Smithfield ham]]s. [http://www.smithfield.com/about/index.php] |
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{{Infobox company |
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Today, Smithfield Packing is a subsidiary of [[Smithfield Foods, Inc.]], a [[Fortune 500]] company. |
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| founded = {{start date and age|1936|09|16}} |
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| hq_location_city = [[Smithfield, Virginia]] |
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| type = [[Subsidiary]] |
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| parent = [[Smithfield Foods]] |
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| former_name = Luter Packing Company |
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| founders = {{ubl|Joe Luter|Joe Luter II}} |
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}} |
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The '''Smithfield Packing Company''' sells meat products such as [[ham]], [[ground pork]], [[pork chops]], [[bacon]], and [[lunch meat]]. It sells its products worldwide. The company was founded in 1936. It is based in [[Smithfield, Virginia]]. It is part of [[Smithfield Foods]] which is in turn a subsidiary of [[WH Group]].<ref name="PackingBloom">{{cite web |title=Smithfield Packing Co Inc/The |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/343154Z:US |website=Bloomberg |publisher=Bloomberg, L.P. |accessdate=26 September 2019}}</ref><ref name="ShaprioDaily" /><ref name="hogbook">{{cite book |last1=Waltz |first1=Lynn |title=Hog Wild: The Battle For Worker Rights At The World's Largest Slaughterhouse |date=2018 |publisher=University of Iowa Press |location=Iowa City, Iowa}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The firm was founded on September 16, 1936, in [[Smithfield, Virginia]] and was originally known as the Luter Packing Company. Joe Luter and his son Joe Luter II, both experienced meatpackers, founded the firm together. The senior Luter was born in Ivor town in [[Southampton County, Virginia]] in 1879. Joe Luter's grandson, Joe Luter III, would go on to lead the company decades later.<ref name="hogbook" /> |
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The Luter family of Smithfield, Virginia, has been curing and selling hams since the turn of the century. In fact, they are capable of slaughtering 32,000 pigs per day at the Smithfield Packing Company; the biggest slaughterhouse in the world. Joseph W. Luter, Sr.'s first job was at a local meat packing plant. His young son, Joseph W. Luter, Jr., followed in his father's footsteps, learning every phase of the meat packing industry. And eventually persuading him to start their own business - Smithfield Packing Company was chartered in 1936. |
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Smithfield, Virginia was known for its pork products as early as the 18th Century. [[Isle of Wight bacon]] and [[Smithfield ham]] were its most famous products. In 1926, a law was passed, making it illegal to refer to any pork not processed within Smithfield's boundaries as "Smithfield ham." Luter and his son started [[Cured meats|curing]] Smithfield hams and selling them to small stores located nearby.<ref name="hogbook" /> |
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Smithfield Packing opened a large facility in [[Tar Heel, North Carolina]] in 1992. The company offered thousands of workers in impoverished Bladen County hourly pay double the federal minimum wage. As of 2018, the size of the Tar Heel plant had about 973,000 square feet in floor area.<ref name="hogbook" /> As of early 2020, Smithfield Packing had made more than $130,000,000 in recent investments in Bladen County.<ref name="BladenJournal1">{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Emily |title=Brisson will encourage state to own Lock and Dam No. 2 |url=https://www.bladenjournal.com/news/30345/brisson-will-encourage-state-to-own-lock-and-dam-no-2 |accessdate=27 February 2020 |work=Bladen Journal |date=26 February 2020}}</ref> |
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As of 2012, Smithfield Packing employed about 12,500 people and had sales of about $4 billion.<ref name="ShaprioDaily">{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Michael Welles |title=Smithfield Packing to close Maryland ham plant |url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-20130316-2013-03-16-dp-nws-smithfield-plant-closure-20130316-story.html |accessdate=26 September 2019 |work=The Daily Press |publisher=The Daily Press Media Group |date=16 March 2013}}</ref> |
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In November 2012, Smithfield Packing began the process of shutting down a plant in [[Portsmouth, Virginia]] that made [[hot dog]]s and [[deli meats]] and moving it to [[Kinston, North Carolina]].<ref name="ShaprioDaily" /> This closure affected about 425 workers. Transfers to other plants were offered to some workers. The company negotiated with the plant's union regarding the terms of any chances for further employment. The company provided proper notice under the [[Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act]] and referred affected workers to state agencies for assistance. The Portsmouth plant was designed and built in the 1970s and could not be adapted to the needs of the modern [[meat-packing industry]].<ref name="PortClose">{{cite news |author1=Staff |title=Smithfield Packing to consolidate packaged meats production and close Portsmouth, Va. Plant |work=The National Provisioner |publisher=BNP Media |date=10 November 2011}}</ref> |
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In 1962, with Smithfield already on its way to becoming the "Ham Capital of the World", [[Joseph W. Luter III]] became the company's leader. Expanding the plant's facilities and product line became the key to a growth cycle that promoted Smithfield Packing Company from a family business into a large, investor-owned and [[publicly traded company]]. |
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In March 2013, Smithfield Packing announced the closure of a bone-in ham plant located in [[Landover, Maryland]]. The company said it would attempt to employ the affected workers at other sites.<ref name="ShaprioDaily" /> |
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Today Smithfield Packing has become a worldwide marketer of [[pork]] products, the largest subsidiary of [[Smithfield Foods, Inc.]], and one of America's largest meat companies, located at [[Tar Heel, North Carolina]], USA, and built in 1992. Joseph W. Luter IV, became president of Smithfield Packing in 2004 after having served as an executive vice president of the parent company. He was succeeded as president by Timothy Schellpeper in April 2008. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.smithfieldfoods.com Smithfield |
* [http://www.smithfieldfoods.com Smithfield Foods corporate website] |
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[[Category:Agriculture companies of the United States|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
[[Category:Agriculture companies of the United States|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1936|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
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[[Category:Meat processing in the United States|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
[[Category:Meat processing in the United States|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
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[[Category:Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
[[Category:Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Smithfield Packing Company]] |
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Latest revision as of 07:06, 29 August 2022
| Formerly | Luter Packing Company |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Founded | September 16, 1936 |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters | |
| Parent | Smithfield Foods |
The Smithfield Packing Company sells meat products such as ham, ground pork, pork chops, bacon, and lunch meat. It sells its products worldwide. The company was founded in 1936. It is based in Smithfield, Virginia. It is part of Smithfield Foods which is in turn a subsidiary of WH Group.[1][2][3]
History[edit]
The firm was founded on September 16, 1936, in Smithfield, Virginia and was originally known as the Luter Packing Company. Joe Luter and his son Joe Luter II, both experienced meatpackers, founded the firm together. The senior Luter was born in Ivor town in Southampton County, Virginia in 1879. Joe Luter's grandson, Joe Luter III, would go on to lead the company decades later.[3]
Smithfield, Virginia was known for its pork products as early as the 18th Century. Isle of Wight bacon and Smithfield ham were its most famous products. In 1926, a law was passed, making it illegal to refer to any pork not processed within Smithfield's boundaries as "Smithfield ham." Luter and his son started curing Smithfield hams and selling them to small stores located nearby.[3]
Smithfield Packing opened a large facility in Tar Heel, North Carolina in 1992. The company offered thousands of workers in impoverished Bladen County hourly pay double the federal minimum wage. As of 2018, the size of the Tar Heel plant had about 973,000 square feet in floor area.[3] As of early 2020, Smithfield Packing had made more than $130,000,000 in recent investments in Bladen County.[4]
As of 2012, Smithfield Packing employed about 12,500 people and had sales of about $4 billion.[2]
In November 2012, Smithfield Packing began the process of shutting down a plant in Portsmouth, Virginia that made hot dogs and deli meats and moving it to Kinston, North Carolina.[2] This closure affected about 425 workers. Transfers to other plants were offered to some workers. The company negotiated with the plant's union regarding the terms of any chances for further employment. The company provided proper notice under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and referred affected workers to state agencies for assistance. The Portsmouth plant was designed and built in the 1970s and could not be adapted to the needs of the modern meat-packing industry.[5]
In March 2013, Smithfield Packing announced the closure of a bone-in ham plant located in Landover, Maryland. The company said it would attempt to employ the affected workers at other sites.[2]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Smithfield Packing Co Inc/The". Bloomberg. Bloomberg, L.P. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Shapiro, Michael Welles (16 March 2013). "Smithfield Packing to close Maryland ham plant". The Daily Press. The Daily Press Media Group. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d Waltz, Lynn (2018). Hog Wild: The Battle For Worker Rights At The World's Largest Slaughterhouse. Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press.
- ^ Williams, Emily (26 February 2020). "Brisson will encourage state to own Lock and Dam No. 2". Bladen Journal. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ^ Staff (10 November 2011). "Smithfield Packing to consolidate packaged meats production and close Portsmouth, Va. Plant". The National Provisioner. BNP Media.