Takeover bid?
OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait is showing no sign of bouncing back from its financial doldrums.
Canterbury-based Synlait Milk has reaffirmed its policy of building no more coal-fired boilers, with the official opening of the country’s first large-scale electrode boiler at its Dunsandel headquarters.
The boiler, already in operation since March, was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting by Prime Minister Jacinda Adern in mid-December.
Synlait chief executive Leon Clement said the boiler came out of the company’s commitment to sustainability stated about 18 months ago.
He said it was more expensive to run and to install, but the company had to consider how the rising cost of carbon would impact its business over the life of the boiler.
“We started to understand that even though today’s cost of carbon is $25 a tonne, at $40 a tonne this electrode boiler made economic sense as well as environmental sense.
“Whilst today our coal-fired boilers are economically better to run they are not good for the environment. The electrode boiler is good for the environment and in time it will also be more profitable for us. So that’s a really good example where we’ve been able to lead the way for New Zealand.”
The 6MW, 11kV boiler generates high-pressure saturated steam at 180degC, used to pasteurise and sterilise milk, clean production lines and equipment, and assist in forming production packaging, among other uses.
Clement said the boiler is providing the processing for Synlait’s new advanced dairy liquid facility, which produces pasteurized milk for South Island Foodstuffs supermarkets, and will also power a long-life ultra-heat-treated milk plant now being commissioned.
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New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait is showing no sign of bouncing back from its financial doldrums.
OPINION: It seems every bugger in this country can get an award these days.