Poultry Processing Rules State Manufacturing Sect

Among the largest manufacturing firms in Arkansas, the top four overall have major operations in the Arkansas River Valley or Northwest Arkansas. Fourteen of the Top 25 and seven of the Top 10 statewide also operate facilities in the state’s northwest corridor.r

Tyson Foods Inc., the Springdale meat processing company, has nearly four times as many Arkansas employees (see chart) as out-of-state arch-rival ConAgra Foods Inc. of Omaha, Neb. Both Tyson Foods and ConAgra have poultry processing as part of their business lines.r

Other poultry processors who figured prominently on the list include O.K. Industries Inc. of Fort Smith, which rated No. 6 statewide and No. 5 in Northwest Arkansas; Cargill Inc. (No. 8 state, No. 6 local); George’s Inc. (No. 11 state, No. 8 local) and Simmons Foods Inc. (No. 12 state, No. 9 local). Peterson Industries Inc. of Decatur (No. 21 state, No. 14 local) also does poultry processing.r

rTAB CHARTr

Monster Manufacturersrr

Ranked by number of employees in Arkansasttttrr

——————–Arkansas -Arkansas
rRank-Company-Based-Employees-Locations

r1-Tyson Foods Inc.-Springdale-24,254-24, including Springdale, Bentonville, Berryville
r2-ConAgra Foods Inc.-Omaha, Neb.-5,500-29, including Huntsville, Ozark, Russellville
r3-Whirlpool Corp.-Benton Harbor, Mich.-4,218-Fort Smith
r4-Georgia-Pacific Corp.-Atlanta-3,645-10, including Fort Smith
r5-O.K. Industries Inc.-Fort Smith-2,581-5, including Fort Smith
r6-Cargill Inc.-Minnetonka, Minn-2,328-12, including Springdale
r7-Baldor Electric Co.-Fort Smith -2,040-4, including Fort Smith, Ozark, Clarksville
r8-George’s Inc.-Springdale-2,000-3, including Springdale, Siloam Springs
r9-Simmons Foods Inc.-Siloam Springs-1,948-7, including Siloam Springs, Van Buren
r10-Alcoa Inc.-Pittsburgh-1,806-7, including Springdale
r11-Superior Industries International Inc.-Van Nuys, Calif.-1,800-4, including Rogers, Fayetteville
r12-Paloma Industries Ltd.-New York-1,627-Fort Smith
r13-Marmon Group Inc.-Chicago-1,610-7, including Siloam Springs
r14-Peterson Industries Inc.-Decatur-1,600-Decatur

rSources: The companies, Arkansas Department of Economic Development.
ttrResearch by Rob O’Connor and George Waldon