A meat processing facility and retail space with full kitchen and precooked orders available for sale is coming to Summerdale, and a Fairhope-based engineering firm has been tapped for the project.

Maximus Meats will be a 29,000-square-foot facility that will offer a fully functional plant where livestock will be processed onsite. In addition to the precooked orders, there will be a general merchandise area and other offices, "bringing a new commercial business to the area where local beef and pork products will be available to the public," according to a news release from Beaufort Engineering Service Inc. (BESI), the firm that was awarded the engineering services contract.

The facility is projected to open this year. The $11 million project is expected to create over 50 jobs and will provide support to local farmers by offering a local processing option to reduce transportation time and costs.

"We chose BESI for their expertise in the industry and their dedication to quality," said Victor Gilman of Maximus Meats. "The team is professional and understands our vision for the project as well as our goal of supporting the local community."

BESI, an SBA Certified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business, launched in 1976 and has grown to become Baldwin County's oldest full-service engineering firm.

"We are excited to work on this project and we have a proven track record of delivering projects on-budget and on-time for our clients. Mr. Victor Gilman and Maximus Meats promote excellence at every level and we are proud to design his project." said Walt Bolton, president and CEO of BESI.