Wayne Farms LLC has reached an agreement to sell its Laurel Fresh Processing Complex to Amick Farms, a subsidiary of OSI group and a leading U.S. producer of fresh and further-processed poultry products.
Amick has agreed to acquire the complex immediately, including live production, hatchery, feed mill, manufacturing and production facilities located in Laurel. The transaction is expected to close on Oct. 17. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Based in Batesburg, S.C., Amick Farms currently operates two other vertically integrated facilities in South Carolina and Maryland with approximately 3,000 employees.
“We are excited to welcome the team members and growers in Laurel and surrounding communities to our family,” said Ben Harrison, president of Amick Farms. “Growing our business is an ongoing goal of ours, and this transaction was the perfect opportunity to grow our Amick team.” The acquisition gives the company the opportunity and resources to grow with their customer base and develop new customer partners, provide more quality products and continue customer service excellence, Harrison said.
“We’ve had a very long and positive relationship with the Laurel community, and we’re glad we’ve been able to reach an agreement with a solid operator like Amick Farms, who will continue that community partnership,” said Clint Rivers, president and CEO of Wayne Farms LLC. “While the decision to sell the Laurel facility was not easy for Wayne Farms, this is an important step in completing our proposed transaction with Sanderson Farms. We are thankful for Amick Farms’ commitment to the Laurel workers and the community, and we’re grateful to know that the plant will continue to operate and thrive under their ownership.”
