EXPANSION AT KAWERAU

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 3

EXPANSION AT KAWERAU

Installation Of New Machine ‘'The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. November 21. 'Extensions to the Tasman Pulp and Paper Company mill at Kawerau. part of the company's £lO million expansion scheme, began today. “This work will form a major part of the company’s project for the installation of a second newsprint machine.” said Mr D. W. Timmis, managing director. Construction will be a joint venture by the construction firms of Morrison-Knudsen Company of New Zealand, Ltd., H. K. Ferguson and Company of New Zealand, Ltd.. Downer and Company, Ltd., and the Fletcher Construction Company, Ltd.

Mr Timmis said that MorrisonKnudsen was a well-known construction company with headquarters at Boise. Idaho, and was engaged on large construction projects throughout the world. Morrison-Knudsen recently completed the Mercer steam power station for the New Zealand Government.

“H. K’. Ferguson is a subsidiary company of Morrison-Knudsen, which specialises in the construction of pulp and paper mills,” said Mr Timmis. The company had taken part in the construction of. and major extensions to, about 45 pulp and paper mills, chiefly in North America.

Downer and Company and the Fletcher Construction Company were leading New Zealand construction companies. Both had played an important part in the construction of the Kawerau mill in the past.

Installation of the second newsprint machine, due to begin production late in 1962, will more than double the mill’s capacity. It will jump from 75,000 to 180.000 tons of newsprint a year. Built to run at a maximum of 2500 feet a minute—soo feet faster than the existing model—the new machine will be one of the most modern in the world. Completion of the machine is expected to raise the permanent population of Kawerau by about 100 families. The expansion programme, at the peak construction period, is expected to employ about 1000 men.