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OPINION: Former politicians seem incapable of staying away from the limelight after they retire.
Prime Minister John Key looks at packaging with Chris Morgan (Tetra Pak Market Area Leader NZ) and Tim High (Tetra Pak Vice President) at the opening of the Tetra Pak office at Waikato Innovation Park, Hamilton, Thursday 7 April 2016. Photo: Stephen Barker/Barker Photography.
A new office for Tetra Pak, the world's leading processing and packaging company, has opened at Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton.
Prime Minister John Key yesterday unveiled a plaque at the purpose-built facility in front of an audience of VIPs and Tetra Pak staff.
The Prime Minister was joined at the ceremony by the Mayor of Hamilton, Julie Hardaker, together with Waikato Innovation Park chairman, Earl Rattray, and Tim High, Tetra Pak Group executive vice-president for processing systems.
Hosting the event, Tetra Pak's market area leader for New Zealand, Chris Morgan, spoke of the company's commitment to the food industry in New Zealand, and the role that its processing business, in particular, is playing to support the country's dairy sector.
"The current dairy downturn re-emphasises the need for New Zealand's export businesses to hasten their diversification out of commodities into value-added products. Whilst this is well understood by the key players, the time to market needs to be accelerated. Tetra Pak has the portfolio, the people and the required capabilities to support our customers in this endeavour," he says.
Tetra Pak's global turnover in 2015 was €11.9 billion (NZ$20 billion), with a workforce of more than 23,600 employees and sales in around 170 countries. Locally in New Zealand, the company provides employment opportunities to more than 200 people. The company supplies innovative designs, projects and equipment from its Hamilton national headquarters to New Zealand's leading ingredients, food and beverage manufacturers.
Waikato Innovation Park chief executive, Stuart Gordon, says: "Tetra Pak is a perfect match with the DNA of Waikato Innovation Park. We are proud to have a multi-national company that is a world leader in food processing and packaging solutions in the Waikato Innovation Park, forming an important part of the agri-business cluster."
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers arable chair, Bevan Lill, said Beef + Lamb NZ data indicated that for the last six years, the average arable return on investment was about 0.8% while inflation ran about 4% - so the average arable farm was going backwards at about 3% a year.
Seed and grain companies share the concerns of arable farmers about the viability of their sector, says Seed and Grain New Zealand chief executive Dr Sarah Clark.
The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) says unnecessary changes to New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) will seriously erode investor confidence and result in significant reductions in forest planting rates.
For the first time in a quarter of a century, Federated Farmers has something positive to say about the Labour Party’s climate change policy leading into a general election.
A warning for New Zealand seed and grain companies – be prepared for an exodus of farmers from the arable sector.
Now in its fourth year, the 2026 Fencing Industry Awards, formed part of the proceedings of the FCANZ Conference, held in Nelson during August.

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