NEW FACTORY AT PETONE

Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 8

NEW FACTORY AT PETONE

SOAP MANUFACTURING FIRM IMPORT RESTRICTIONS HASTEN PLANS (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, February 6. With plans expedited by the introduction of the import restrictions, an early start is to be made in the erection of a modern factory at Petone, Wellington, for the international soap manufacturing firm of ColgatePalmolive Ltd. The managing director of the company in Australia, Mr J. V. Moran, said the scheme represented a capital investment of £50,000. Mr Moran left by the Mariposa this afternoon to discuss details of the scheme with the principals of the company in the United States. , Before his departure. Mr Moran explained that the proposal to manufacture the full range of the company’s products within New Zealand had been contemplated for some time, but the imposition of trade restrictions had served to hasten the arrangement. A site had now been purchased at Petone and plans were being prepared for the early construction of the factory. “It is our intention to form a subsidiary company in New Zealand to control the enterprise,” he continued. “Its head will be a New Zealander, who is at present in charge of our business here and the executive staff will also consist of New Zealanders. It will, of course, be necessary to bring several experts from Australia to train operators, although one of these is actually a New Zealander who will' stay in the Dominion in charge of one of the company’s departments.”

It was difficult to offer an accurate estimate of the staff that would be required. However, it was likely that at the outset 80 to 100 persons would be employed and it was possible that this number would be considerably augmented as the business expanded.