Fonterra unveils divestment plan
Fonterra is exploring full or partial divestment options for its global Consumer business, as well as its integrated businesses Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka.
Fonterra says a focus on effectiveness, efficiency and innovation during factory winter maintenance is saving money.
Director of NZ manufacturing Mark Leslie says the winter shutdown is a key time of preparation for the season ahead.
"Each year we process 18 billion L of milk, mostly in spring. The work we're doing now readies us for that peak period."
More effectiveness and efficiency at maintaining sites is their focus, Leslie says. "We've always been efficient in our maintenance projects, so the challenge this year was to... do things better, faster and smarter."
Hundreds of factory staff are working on about 500 projects nationwide, ranging from major capital works to minor overhauls.
Winter shutdown manager at Te Rapa, Blair Bond, refers to an "owner's mindset" among the manufacturing staff.
"We treat the assets as if we were their owners – putting ourselves in our farmers' shoes and thinking about how we can do things more effectively and [save money]."
Some work will lead to change in the way the plant processes milk during the milking season. Bond gives the example of the D4 evaporator: the staff suggested splitting the process into stages, which will allow the evaporator to run 6% longer – more milk processed each day.
"It's year-round for us. Year-long we talk to other sites about what worked for them and leverage our collective strength."
Te Rapa now has a year-round asset care approach to maintaining and servicing plant.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
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