Looking back:

1881 The Meat Canning Works were built on the site along the Waitara river.

1885 New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company open plant which includes tannery, feltmongery and wool scouring services.

1890 Works purchased by Mt Egmont Freezing Company. The first shipment was also made of frozen meat on SS

Mata Tua which included mutton, lamb, beef, tallow and wool.

1903 Thomas Borthwick buys the works and Waitara becomes a major exporter of frozen products.

1904 First major fire hits the works. 1927 Another fire takes hold at the plant.

1937-54 An extensive building programme takes place, with two extra floors added.

1975 Further construction takes place, including a $4.5 million extension.

1979 Third major fire strikes, leaving a rebuild bill of $10 million.

1983-84 Further building upgrades to meet export regulations completed to the tune of $6 million.

1986 Borthwicks New Zealand was sold to Waitaki New Zealand.

1989 Affco purchases works and 600 redundancies follow.

1993 Another 280 people were laid off.

1997 The last 150 jobs go at the plant, as it closes for good.

Source: New Plymouth District Council – Heritage Trails