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Bremworth chief executive Craig Woolford.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The company says the expansion marks a key stage in its return to full domestic production of its woollen yarns and a boost to local employment.
Bremworth chief executive Craig Woolford, says the investment is designed to ensure greater efficiency, product and quality control and significant lead time improvements, while avoiding excess capacity.
He says they plan to operate three shifts 24 hours a day, every weekday and will hire up to 40 new staff to accommodate expected demand.
"As a result of the cyclone, most of our Hawke's Bay facility was taken offline.
"To maintain carpet production, we introduced a hybrid yarn supply model which saw increased quantity of our yarns processed externally, including offshore. Rather than just reinstating everything, we've taken the opportunity to rebuild smarter - in the process, allowing us to ramp up yarn capacity as demand grows," says Woolford.
Nearly three years on from Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke's Bay apple orchardist Paul Paynter says they are still doing remedial work around their orchards and facing financial challenges.
Carpet maker Bremworth is reinstating solution-dyed nylon (SDN) into its product mix but says wool carpets remain central to its brand.
If there was a silver lining in the tragedy that was Cyclone Gabrielle, for New Zealand Young Grower of the Year, Grace Fulford, it was the tremendous sense of community and seeing first-hand what good leadership looks like.
Premium wool carpet maker Bremworth is being sold to the world's largest flooring company.
A 50% tariff slapped by the US on goods from India last month has opened an opportunity for New Zealand wool carpets exports to North America.
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Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
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