Construction on the Tillamook cheese plant expansion in Boardman is about 90 percent complete and is expected to be fully operational by February.
The Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) began construction on the new plant last February. The expansion will add whey processing capabilities to Tillamook’s existing cheese-making plant in Boardman.
As many as 300 construction workers have been working on the project and, when finished, the facility will add about 40 new employees. The new plant will produce whey protein concentrate and lactose. Both will be dried products. Whey and lactose are natural by-products of the cheese-making process.
TCCA said the lactose protein components derived from whey (which is separated from milk in order to make cheese) are increasingly being recognized for their high nutritional value and used in products such as infant formula, performance nutrition products and products that help manage some of the impacts of aging.
Tori Harms, communications manager for TCCA, said Tillamook’s success with its cheese plant at the Port of Morrow made it an easy decision to expand the facility.
“We look forward to broadening our presence in this location,” Harms said. “This new whey and lactose processing plant will be closely tied to the operations at our existing cheese-making plant, enabling us to maximize the value of the milk used in our cheese-making process.”
The products that come from the new plant will be for both the domestic and export markets.
