The co-op's $200m plant was opened today by Prime Minister John Key. It processes 2.2 million litres of milk daily. A new $300m plant under construction will process 4.4m L of milk daily.
It will be the biggest milk plant in the world, surpassing Fonterra's Edendale plant in Southland.
Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says Canterbury milk production is growing by 5% every year.
To meet this demand a second drier, boiler, distribution centre and railway link are being added to the site. Construction has started and will be complete in August 2013.
Stage two will mean about 60 extra jobs, bringing the total number of people on site to 200 and making Fonterra one of the largest employers in central Canterbury.
Spierings says Fonterra farmers are the best in the world at turning green grass into fresh milk.
"Darfield is a world-class manufacturing facility that produces top quality whole milk powder at efficiency levels that will drive volume and value right through the supply chain – and will contribute to improved returns for our farmer shareholders," says Spierings.
Darfield is also big on sustainability reducing the distance Fonterra milk tankers need to travel by 20,000 kilometres per day.
12,000 trees have been planted on site. The warehouse uses natural light and the latest energy efficient technology, which means lights are only on when motion is detected or when the natural light is low. All the storm water is collected and treated through swales and infiltration basins. Canterbury's groundwater resources are protected and the site does not discharge water to any waterways.
The Darfield plant produces milkpowder which is exported to China and Asia.
