Model restructuring of local flour mills

Press, 22 July 1980, Page 18

Model restructuring of local flour mills

A copybook exercise in] modern industrial restructur-l ing is nearing completion in Christchurch. N.Z. Flourmills, Ltd, a] subsidiary of Goodman] Group, Ltd, is producing! from one mi” the entire: flour and wholemeal output! of four previous mills. ] This has not been accomplished without some major! changes for the local milling industry. Familiar names have disappeared and landmark premises sold. Equipment has been moved to concentrate resources on one site. But not a single employee has been made redundant and there has been no interruption to production. Goodman Group’s annual report says that the group is determined to play a major role ih the rationalisation of facilities, to ensure shareholders ge( a better return on ' capital employed, while positioning the company to play a leading role in the future development of New .Zealand flour milling. The former Worrall’s flour mill at Blenheim Road in Riccarton is being remodelled to produce 20,000 tonnes a year. Its previous output was 6000 tonnes. In addition, more than

9000 tonnes of grain will]! now be stored on site. i 1 This remodelled mill, now], named Zealandia Milling!' Company,. Ltd, is producing! “Zealandia” and “Diamond”]' wheat flour and wholemeal] for bakers and pastrycooks , in the Canterbury area and as far north as Nelson. Smaller packs of flour for : t?.2 home cook are under the! “Zealandia” and “Worralls”! brands. . ■ I Bran and pollard are also being produced for stock i feed.’ N.Z. Flourmills, Ltd, took over four flour, mills in Christchurch in order to rationalise production. The restructure which followed closed three mills: A. B. Consolidated in Antigua Street, Zealandia Milling in Addington, and A. P. Tutton’s in Rangiora. Wheat silos and some equipment were removed to the 2.1. acre Blenheim Road site of H. Worrall Flour Mill, Ltd, where remodelling

had been undertaken some: five years previously. The three mills taken over; ]and closed had reached al ; point where a lot of ex-i ; pensive remodelling and new] equipment was necessary. . I Although the now com-i Ibined milling plant has been: expanded to produce at the] rate of three-and-a-half' tonnes of flour per hour, the! major development has been] lin the greatly increased] 'handling of grain and the: (packing and handling of the' large increase of finished! product. The remodel was carried! out while the plant was still; in operation, and without interuption to milling. Work began in November last year, and apart from the grain silos the greatly expanded facility is now operating at new capacity. . I Most of the work has been carried out by N.Z. Flourmills, Ltd’s own staff, together with contractors from Christchurch. The total cost of the project is estimated at $890,000.