NEW ZEALAND FACTORY

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20833, 17 June 1939, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND FACTORY

RECKITTS AND COLMAN KEEN Messrs Reckitts (Overseas), Ltd., and Colman Keen (New Zealand), Ltd., whose business interests in New Zealand go back many years, have announced through their New Zealand | manager, Mr 6. B. Harris, their deci--1 sion to establish a modern and fullyj equipped factory in the Dominion. A j site has been purchased near Logan j Park, Dunedin, with adequate space j for expansion. A contract has been let by the architects under which the ! building, of four storey in reinforced i concrete, is to be erected in eight, [months, and towards the end of that j period the installation of a consider- | able amount of plant for the high I yj specialised processes of manufacture will be commenced under the direction of Mr 11. G. Woolman, factory manager and engineer, in progressive stages to make l'or an early completion of erection and the commencement of operations. Mr Woolman has both chemistry and engineering qualifications and the New Zealand company has also had the expert advice of Mr W. R. Slack, of Sydney, in the prepcut and general factorv and staff facilities. The contract price for the building is approximately £35,000. Scope of Manufacture j In addition to Hie manufacture of the major products, starch which roj quires special experience, of materials juii.l processes . mustard, washing 1-lu- . : polishes and foods, a number of other j articles will be manufactured in the ; Dunedin factory, which will provide j employment for about sixty persons ! in its opening development. \ The first business done by Reckitts, Ltd., in New Zealand was introduced I by a Sydney representative who came j across'tlic Tasman in lsss, lift y-one | years ago. In 1897 a resident reproi sentativo was a pp-.in led. and in 1906 i a separate branch was established, j Tile decision to set up a factorv in ! New Zealand does not arise whollv lout, of the Government's police of j restricting imports and fostering'local j industry, for the proposal was first made some time ago. but the import [ regulations have naturally been a

substantial factor in the present decision. Mr Harris said that, with the exception of the manager and possibly specialist workers, the staff wound consist wholly of New Zealanders, and that if materials fully up to specification and requirements were obtainable from New Zealand sources they would be used to the greatest extent possible.