Tyson Foods is hopeful its fire-ravaged beef plant in Holcomb, Kansas, will be fully operational again in early January as work nears completion.

The US-based meat heavyweight said today (18 November) it expects “harvest operations” of cattle at the site to begin in the first week of December with full production set to start in the first week of January.

Fire broke out at the facility in August and “severely damaged a critical part of the plant containing the hydraulic and electrical systems that support the harvest floor and cooler areas”, Tyson said in an update today. While reconstruction work was underway, the meat processor had diverted cattle to other beef facilities, enabling the company to “offset some of the production volume losses”.

Group president of Tyson Fresh Meats, Steve Stouffer, said: “We recognise the disruption the fire caused for our suppliers and our customers and are more than pleased to announce we are in the final stages of reconstruction. Our team is ready to begin the process of ramping back up, recognising that there will be testing and adjustments over the first few weeks to ensure equipment functionality, while maintaining our commitment to team member safety and food safety.”