Expansion continues at Waitoa UHT
Fonterra last week announced it is further expanding its Waitoa UHT site as the co-operative works to keep up and ahead of growing demand for its products both here in New Zealand and overseas.
Five years ago the UHT production site was an empty paddock, now it produces more than 80,000 cartons of UHT milk and cream every hour for global markets - and it’s about to get even busier.
Previously planned to come online in 2018, Fonterra brought forward the first part of the project to add another production line at the Waikato site, with work on the $12 million venture completed in February 2017.
CanPac and Waitoa UHT operations manager Russell Muir said at the time the new line would create 14 full time jobs at the site.
‘‘We already employ people from within the Matamata-Piako District, Ngarua, Te Aroha, Morrinsville and Matamata,’’ he said.
Each new line can produce 15,000 packs per hour and once this latest expansion is complete, the site will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 cartons of one litre UHT products every hour.
Fonterra Chief Operating Officer Global Operations Robert Spurway said the continued expansion at Waitoa UHT is being driven by the success of the cooperative’s consumer and foodservice business keeping pace with the ongoing demand for New Zealand dairy products.
‘‘Exports of UHT cream in particular have grown rapidly - more than doubling in the past two seasons. This has led to some outstanding results – sales of cream to tea kiosks have increased fivefold in the past two years,’’ he said.
Much of this growth has been fuelled by countries in Asia as they look to include more dairy in their diet, Spurway said.
‘‘Our $162 million investment in the UHT production at Waitoa over the past five years is part of our strategy to continue to move more of our farmers’ milk into these higher returning products.
‘‘The investment has also created 150 new jobs at the Waitoa site and this has been a real boost for the local community.’’
Once complete this new line will bring the site’s total processing capacity to more than 250 million litres of UHT cream and milk per year.