US Aggregates facility upgraded

US Aggregates has installed a new fine grind plant at its Portland location.

The plant can process material that was previously wasted two to three times a day. It utilizes a classifier that sorts materials according to size, shape and density.

“The Portland team is a tight-knit and hardworking community with a strong sense of camaraderie built through shared challenges like this build,” said plant manager Corey Price in a press release.

Stepping back

As part of a debut restructuring for Ardagh Group, CEO Paul Coulson will relinquish control of the company.

Creditors will take control of Ardagh after paying Coulson $250 million in the deal. He has worked at the glass manufacturing firm, which has facilities in Dunkirk and Winchester, for more than 35 years.

Partnership extended

Dollar General extended its partnership with the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program with a $250,000 donation.

The Funding will support the organization’s disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. It will be used to provide shelter, meals and other support to those in need following natural disasters. 

“Dollar General understands the profound disruption disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires or earthquakes can bring, and we’re proud to be Here for What Matters for our hometowns when they need it most,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. “We hope these funds help provide compassion and restore hope, helping communities thrive once again.”

Dollar General has donated more than $11 million in corporate funds and in-store donations to the Red Cross since 2001.

New plans

Comcast is changing its Xfinity plans and dropping data caps.

The company announced last week that it will offer four plans, with download speeds at 300 megabytes per second, 500 Mbps, one gigabyte per second and 2 Gbps. Customers can get discounted rates for long-term commitments.

Grants awarded

Indiana’s Commerce Office awarded $925,107 in grants last week to 28 projects through its Community Collaboration Fund.

Among the grants awarded were $40,000 to Muncie Regional Mentorship Hub. The City of Muncie plans to establish a structured mentorship program to serve all of east central Indiana.

"Under Governor Braun’s leadership, Indiana is more committed than ever to cultivating the growth of Main Street entrepreneurship and celebrating the impact our business owners have on our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce David Adams in a press release. “These community projects will ensure that current and future entrepreneurs across the state have access to the programming, resources and support needed to start and scale a business right here in Indiana.”

Expanding in Kentucky

Tyson Foods announced plans to invest $23.5 million to expand and upgrade its facility in Henderson County, Kentucky.

Company officials said the expansion will support increased market demand for its products. I it will increase capacity and product diversity.

“Tyson Foods has successfully done business in Kentucky for over 30 years and is positioned for even more growth in the future with this expansion and modernization,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “I want to congratulate the company’s leaders on this progress and thank them for their longstanding commitment to the commonwealth. I’m excited to see Tyson Foods continue to grow and thrive in Henderson County.”

Also, members of Teamsters Local 577 at Tyson Foods in Amarillo voted to authorize a strike. The union represents 3,100 workers, who are demanding higher wages and improved benefits.

Center opens

CVS Health announced Thursday that it has opened its new Workforce Innovation and Talent Center in Chicago.

The facility is intended to improve access to workforce training. It will include assistance for those seeking jobs as pharmacy technicians, customer service associates, call center employees and retail staff.

“At our new WITC, we’re dedicated to helping individuals build skills for in-demand jobs, like Pharmacy Technicians,” said Sheryl Burke, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and chief sustainability officer at CVS Health, in a press release. “Working alongside the Chicago Baptist Institute, we aim to make it easier for community members to access and find meaningful employment.”

Hosting drive

Menards is hosting a food drive through the end of July.

The company will accept donations of non-perishable food items through July 31. They can be placed in collection boxes near the exit doors to its locations.

Participating locations include stores in Anderson, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Muncie, Richmond and Celina, Ohio.

Facility launched

Walmart announced the grand opening of its first owned and operated case-ready beef facility in Olather, Kansas, on Friday.

The 300,000-square-foot facility will package and distribute Angus cuts sourced from Sustainable Beef to stores across the Midwest. It has resulted in 600 new jobs in Kansas.

“The opening of our new facility in Olathe, Kansas, is centered on delivering more of what our customers want — affordable food and quality they can trust. This is the first case-ready facility fully owned and operated by Walmart, and that milestone ensures we’re able to bring more consistency, more transparency and more value to our customers.”

Awards set

Indiana Chamber of Commerce will host its annual awards dinner at 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at the JW Marriott Indianapolis.

Daymond John, founder of FUBU and a longtime star of “Shark Tank,” will be the featured speaker.

Individual tickets are $195. For more information, visit indianachamber.com.

Nominate manufacturers

Nominations are open for the Indiana Manufacturers Association 2025 Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

The awards honor Indiana companies and individuals for their contributions to the manufacturing industry. They are open to all manufacturers in Indiana.

Anyone can make a nomination by visiting indianamfg.com/2025-manufacturing-excellence-awards. The deadline is Sunday, Aug. 31.