Gear plant for auction

Press, 9 February 1982, Page 3

Gear plant for auction

PA Wellington One of New Zealand’s largest industrial plant and equipment auctions will be held at the Petone Gear Meat Works over five days next month. Thousands of items, ranging from the three killing chains to front office clerical equipment, will go under the hammer. The owners of the works, the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Meat Company, decided not to reopen it for the 1981-2 killing season after the breakdown in negotiations with the Meatworkers’ Union on pay and conditions.

There was no official comment from the company, about the auction yesterday. But it is understood it will be from March 22 to 26.

Although most of the main buildings are old, a good deal of the equipment in them has been replaced over the years.

For the last killing season $600,000 was spent on improving freezers, stockyards, and general yards. Each of the three chains is in good order and is suitable for dismantling and re-use. The big compressors for the plant’s i freezers will be sold, as well as a vast array of maintenance equipment, including welding gear and hand tools.

The auction will be handled by Harcourts, in association with Edward Rushton, an English company, which has extensive experience in freezing industry plant valuation in New Zealand.