For well over half a century, the charcoal briquet factory located just off of Hwy. 19 a few miles north of Salem has been a staple in the area.
The current construction project (scheduled to be completed later this year) constitutes the largest investment that Royal Oak Enterprises has ever put into a single location.
Chief operating officer Randy Beech declined to give the exact sum invested in the project in light of the fact that Royal Oak is a privately traded company, as well as keeping an eye on competitors. However, Beech characterized the project as being “head and shoulders” above anything they’ve done in the past.
“We hope that the construction will be finished by September,” said Beech. He also said the company hopes to have state-of-the-art equipment installed and the facility operational by the end of the year.
“Without giving specific numbers, our production is going to increase by at least 50%,” he said. These upgrades will make the Salem plant one of the largest briquet factories in the world, according to Beech.
Beech told The Salem News that Royal Oak plans to continue being a major employer in Salem, not just numerically but also in the quality of jobs that they provide. According to Beech, they also plan to continue to progress their company’s goal of maintaining safer and more efficient production practices.
The upgrades to the facility are in the form of new construction and state-of-the-art equipment being installed.
“The equipment that we’re putting in will help the labor force gain a higher skill set,” said Beech.
This new facility will be using all new technology, including high efficiency dust collection that Beech said decreases waste by utilizing dust that would, in the past, be lost to the wind.
Currently the factory employs more than 150 people and has more than 170 positions on the various shifts (the plant operates 24-7). These upgrades will likely not increase the number of jobs, but will increase the quality of jobs available.
“We have a great relationship with the local workforce,” Beech said. He went on to praise the work ethic of their employees in the Salem area.
“We looked at several locations in the Midwest and in Missouri,” said Beech.
According to him, the company selected the Salem plant for these factory upgrades for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the company’s positive experience with local personnel.
Additionally, the Salem location allows easy access to raw materials used for creating charcoal briquets while still being reasonably close to I-44 for distribution across the country.
Beech said he thinks the company will continue to have a positive impact on the area. They’ve invested $2 million to run gas lines out to the facility.
“That will also benefit the elementary school, churches and residences,” said Beech.
“If I lived in Dent County or the Salem community, I would consider it an honor that a company as big as Royal Oak is going to invest in my community.
“I would be proud that it’s going to be a plant with state-of-the-art equipment. Over the years it’s going to provide numerous opportunities for workers and help train for career advancement.”
“It’s always been a winning combination,” he said. “The charcoal briquet plant and Salem. “We’re already proud of what we have here in Salem, but this will be even better.”
Beech also said that another way that Royal Oak plans to give back to the area is by their philanthropic partnership with Choices for People based out of Rolla, an organization that also has a presence in Dent County and other rural counties nearby.
Beech shared a statement from Royal Oak Enterprises CEO Jim Bennett.
“We at Royal Oak are extremely excited about the state of the art charcoal briquet facility we are building in Salem. The new facility represents the largest investment in our company’s history. We are extremely proud to be a part of the Salem community. We are also very grateful for all the dedication and hard work of our team members across our network of facilities and especially thankful for our Salem team members who are making this project a reality.”
