Western Smokehouse Partners brings business to Hawkeye State

Western Smokehouse Partners traces its roots to the founding in 1978 of two separate companies in different states: Western’s Smokehouse in Missouri; and Thrushwood Farms, in Illinois. When founders Sam Western and Jim Hankes met, they struck up a friendship. Their sons later entered into an emerging market — snack sticks — and eventually brought their two companies together as one.  

Kevin Western and Doug Hankes led their companies to start producing meat snacks, and over the years their friendship helped to make each business better by sharing ideas and best practices. Following Western's decision to enter a strategic partnership that helped grow the company with a large plant expansion, the friends decided to become business partners by merging Western's and Thrushwood into Western Smokehouse Partners, with headquarters in Galesburg, Illinois.

Prior to the May 2023 opening of a new production facility in Burlington, Iowa, the company produced its better-for-you line of co-packing and private label beef, pork and chicken snack products at facilities in Greentop, Missouri, and in two Illinois locations: Galesburg and Springfield.

Carl A. Nelson started his business in 1913 and grew it with a reputation for fair-dealing and quality construction. More than a century later, the team at Carl A. Nelson & Company (CANCO) strives to live up to that legacy, and points as evidence to 80% of annual construction volume that comes from repeat and referred clients. With completion of its new snack stick production facility in Burlington, Iowa, Western Smokehouse Partners adds to that track record after being referred to CANCO by an electrical contractor familiar with how both companies do business.

Upon learning of Western's interest in renovating a facility in Burlington, Iowa, to house additional production, the electrical contractor recommended CANCO to do the work. After some preliminary emails and phone calls, a first meeting was held in May 2022. A design-build contract was signed the same month, and construction began in October 2022. Substantial completion is scheduled for June 2023, with plant startup and testing in May.

Carl A. Nelson & Company's scope on the project included design and renovation of more than 96,000 SF in a former steam turbine production plant. The work included 80,000 SF of production, packaging and distribution space, including new receiving docks and a new loading dock; and 16,600 SF of office space. Working with mechanical and electrical subcontractors, as well as utilizing its own crews of field supervisors and construction craftsmen, CANCO led design and construction of process spaces, and assisted the owner with process equipment installation.