PENDLETON — Hill Meat Co. in Pendleton has broken ground on an $18 million expansion project to double the facility’s smokehouse capability.

The family owned Pendleton-based purveyors of premium bacon, ham and sausages began their construction to extend the west side of the meat house facility by 30,000 square feet.

Hill Meat CEO Jim Cheney said expanding the scale of the smokehouse gives the company the opportunity to add a curing department, a new pass-through oven, a couple more bacon lines and a dedicated room for the sausage stuffer.

“Logistically, one of the reasons for the expansion is to utilize our equipment better and our product flow,” he said.

Hill Meat President Nicole Cheney Sorensen said the installation of the bacon lines and other operations in the whole scope of the smokehouse expansion will provide about 40 to 50 job opportunities through the years. Separate from the project, the company recently added a bacon line, which alone requires 10 to 12 more jobs.

Crew members Tuesday, Aug. 20, were spread throughout the excavated worksite, installing pipelines to the underground plumbing system. Some workers sawed thick slabs of wood and set rebar reinforcement mats to prepare for this week’s cement pouring.

Large white oversized shipping containers sat on the far end of the construction site. Each steel holder carries the latest smoke generators from Fessman, a German-based company.

The generators ensure a smoky aroma and coloration for Hill Meat’s pork line. When built, each generator stands 8 feet wide and 10 feet long.

Cheney said representatives from Fessman flew from Germany a year and a half ago to Pendleton. Fessman imparted advice on the state of its equipment, which inspired Cheney and his family to purchase a state-of-the-art steam system and a new boiler for the new facility.

“Fessman is supposed to be one of the top in the industry,” Cheney said. “We only want to buy the latest technology.”

Distribution plays a key role in the development. So far, the company’s pork line is featured in a number of supermarket chains and independent groceries across the Western region of the United States and other parts of the world.

Sorensen said the company’s meats are distributed in Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Colorado and the Dakotas. The company’s pork products also reached into Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Hill Meats Co. aims to continue to cast a wider net to boost its customer base.

“The reason we can do this is because of the management team we have and the crew that we have that make this all possible,” Cheney said. “We could not do that without good people. It’s a family owned and operated business. I get to come to work with my children every day.”

McCormack Construction Co. and subcontractors took on the expansion project, which is set for completion by August 2025.