Around CGC
In this issue:
ContiGroup Selects New Auditors
In case you missed it, ContiGroup recently selected Deloitte & Touche
as its new auditing firm. Deloitte replaces Arthur Andersen and will
handle both the external audit and tax outsourcing functions for
ContiGroup.
David Lee, Vice President of Financial Analysis and Control, notes that
ContiGroup began the selection process several months ago when it
became clear that Arthur Andersen could no longer conduct business on a
worldwide basis. Deloitte was selected for its experience and expertise
in many of the industry segments in which ContiGroup operates. In
addition, the selection was driven in part by a desire to retain the
services of CGC's ongoing tax advisory staff, most of whom had moved
from Andersen to Deloitte.
David notes, however, that bringing in a new external audit team is
nonetheless a major effort. "We need to help them get familiar with the
company, and this represents a significant investment of time and
resources on their part and on our part."
Arthur Andersen had been ContiGroup's auditing firm for 25 years and completed its final audit for the company last month. David and ContiGroup CFO
Michael Zimmerman expressed thanks for the dedication and skill of the
many Andersen employees who worked with ContiGroup over the years. "We
were very well served by AA," says Michael, "and wish good things in
the future for all the individuals who worked with us."
Wayne Farms Extends Campbell Agreement
It
is with a great sense of pleasure and excitement that I am announcing
the extension of our partnership with Campbell Soup Company. Effective
April 24th, 2002, Wayne Farms LLC and Campbell Soup Company reached an
agreement to extend our strategic business relationship through July,
2009 from the original agreement expiration of February, 2005.
This
accomplishment and testament to your dedication and hard work is making
Wayne Farms LLC the partner of choice for one of the most
recognizable food companies in the market. In today's world of intense
competition and oversupply, our charge of adding value in all we do
provides the platform for success in our partnerships and continuously
defines the direction to allow us to "delight Campbell's."
I
want to personally thank everyone for your hard work, your dedication
and your daily efforts to make Wayne Farms LLC the true partner of
choice for Campbell Soup Company.
--Elton Maddox
Asian Industries News--
ContiFeed Acquires Fourth Premix Plant
ContiFeed
has acquired a fourth premix plant in Changchun, a corn-producing
region in northeast China and a prime market for premixes and
concentrates. This low cost production facility, scheduled to begin
operation in the fall, will allow AI to further increase ContiFeed's
market growth in China. The Changchun plant will bring additional
pelleting capacity for prestarters and aqua feeds. The production line
will be the same as the Tanggu plant which started production in 2000,
and had less than a one-year payback period.
Colorado Beef Achieves Two-Year Record
On April 23, Colorado Beef celebrated another year without a lost-time accident, making it two years straight.
This
two-year accomplishment represents approximately 250,000 work hours,
532,690 tons of feed produced, 223,323 head of cattle shipped, and
288,000 miles driven. Colorado Beef celebrated this milestone with a
hamburger lunch, where employees were given "Beef Bucks" as a reward
for their dedication and commitment to the safety of themselves and
others.
"We are proud of our team's achievement and we are committed to the ongoing
safety of our employees," said Greg McLean General Manager at Colorado
Beef. Congratulations to all on this great achievement.
--Troy Sander
 |
| Colorado Beef marks two years without a lost-time accident. |
CGC Announces New National Merit Scholars
The
National Merit Scholarship Corporation has awarded scholarships
sponsored by the ContiGroup Foundation to two high school seniors.
Darren
Pledger, son of Harold Pledger, Live Production Manager at Wayne Farms'
Danville complex, will attend Arkansas Tech University in Russellville,
Arkansas. Whitney Reynolds, daughter of Roderick Reynolds, Feed Mill
Manager at Wayne Farms' Enterprise, Alabama facility, will attend
Auburn
University this fall. The two scholarship winners and their families
will be honored at a luncheon in New York on July 12th. Congratulations
to both
Darren and Whitney!
--Celeste Schubert
New Website at ContiBeef
After months of work, ContiBeef has successfully launched its new website, ContiBeef.com.
Work on the project began last September, when a task force of 12 came
together to plan the site and to begin preparing content. By December,
the committee had completed most of this work and sent it to the lead
designers, Rose Harrington of Hartley Feeders and Jim Stroh of Grant
County Feeders. Rose and Jim came back to the full committee with a
number of design proposals, and then took charge of the final layout
and programming.
Task
force members also included Greg McLean, Adriane Lockhart, Suzanne
Foley, Suzanne Griffin, Matt Buyers, Chip Bowers, Garry Chumley, Dan
Olson, Jack Donahue, and Russ Danner.
"We
wanted to make sure that we had buy-in from everyone on the task
force," says Jim, "and that we created a site that represented all
parts of ContiBeef."
In addition to the ContiBeef and corporate sites, CGC websites also include waynefarmsllc.com, psfarms.com, and contiasia.com.
ContiParaguay ... from the Air
 |
| A
recent aerial photo of the ContiParaguay plant in Capiata, one of a
series taken to document changes in the plant's layout. A major
supplier and manufacturer for Unilever, ContiParaguay employs more than
300 people and produces a wide of range of industrial and consumer
products including crude oils, oilseed proteins, refined vegetable
oils, margarine, shortening, soaps, and detergents. |
Laurel Complex Braves the Heat!
More
than 300 employees of Wayne Farms Laurel complex braved the heat on
June 7th to participate in the American Cancer Society's "Relay for
Life."
The
several fund raising events included the sale of cookbooks with recipes
from Wayne Farms employees, Wayne Farms T-shirts, bandanas, and a
dunking booth day where employees paid for a chance to dunk department
managers and supervisors during their breaks. One dollar bought the
chance to dunk Complex Manager Glenn Caves. He raised $75.00 for his
effort. Employees paid one dollar for three chances to dunk the other
managers and
supervisors. Hot dogs and hamburgers were also sold that day. Employees
also purchased Relay for Life Memorial/ Honor cards that covered one
entire
wall of the break room.
The
night of the relay, Wayne Farms fielded two coed softball teams to play
in the tournament. No trophies but a lot of fun! Jimmy Long,
Maintenance
Supervisor, and Mike Parker, Compliance Manager, cooked chicken,
hamburgers and hot dogs for every one who attended.
When
the sun began to rise Saturday morning, the awards ceremony began. The
Laurel Complex is very proud of their achievement. Wayne Farms was
presented with a Sponsor's Plaque. First place plaques received were
Most Money Raised by a Team, Team With Most People Present (336),
Walking Team with the Most Laps (611), and the Sunshine Award for
having the most team members present at the close of the relay. A
second place plaque was received for Most Spirited Team. First place
ribbons were won for the Pajama Contest (Vanette Smith) and Best
T-shirt. Third place ribbons were received for Best Tent, and Bo Gieger
and Deborah McSwain tied for the Dirtiest Sneakers.
A great time was had by all!
--Margaret Morgan
 |
| Glenn
Caves, Laurel Complex Manager, prepares to get dunked--again--at the
fundraiser for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Laurel.
In all, the Laurel complex raised more than $5,000 for the American
Cancer Society.
|
Support for YMCA Programs
Continuing
its long-standing support for the YMCA, The ContiGroup Companies
Foundation recently helped sponsor the organization's Dodge Dinner in
New York. In addition to its annual sponsorship of this event, the
Foundation also contributes $25,000 each year to the "Virtual Y," an
after-school program for elementary students in New York. By making the
YMCA's programs available at local schools, the "Virtual Y" is able to
reach a much larger group of young people. The Dodge Dinner included
performances by local youth, showcasing their talent and the successes
of the YMCA.
 |
| Above,
from left, Robin Derin, Valerie Axelrod, Richard Anderson, Amber Evans,
and Teri McCaslin of the New York office at the Dodge Dinner for the
YMCA. |