Waikato dryer sold
An independent milk spray dryer in Hamilton, destined for liquidation, has been bought by a South Auckland goat milk processor.
Waikato Innovation Park has signed an agreement with Tetra Pak, to construct a custom-built national headquarters on its Hamilton East campus.
The new two-storey 3500m2 building will be the fourth constructed on the Park's campus since it opened in February 2004.
Tetra Pak is an existing tenant of the Park and this new building will house their New Zealand headquarters and design team, in addition to a workshop for its technical service team.
The food processing and packaging company moved to the Park in September 2009 where they have until now shared an office building.
Waikato Innovation Park chief executive Stuart Gordon says the new build creates exciting opportunities for the Park, its tenants and New Zealand businesses.
"Tetra Pak's move into a new building is exciting for us here at Waikato Innovation Park because it means we get to help an existing client with their expansion. Seeing our tenants progress and grow is what we are all about. And we're always pleased when we are able to provide options as our tenants grow beyond their initial space requirements," he says.
Chris Morgan, senior Tetra Pak director in New Zealand and site manager of the Hamilton office is excited about the change.
"The Asian and Chinese demand for dairy products from New Zealand continues to grow, which means growth for Tetra Pak as we help New Zealand dairy companies to realise their export plans," says Morgan.
"We are pleased to continue our tenancy at Waikato Innovation Park, which has served us well during the past five years."
Gordon says the company plans to break ground by March 2015 and open the building in December.
The new build will be located on Melody Lane, beside the railroad tracks between the current Tetra Pak building and the FoodWaikato spray dryer.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.