fbpx
Print this page
Friday, 23 April 2021 13:09

Van Leeuwen Group in receivership

Written by 

One of New Zealand’s largest dairy farmers- the Van Leeuwen Group- has been placed into receivership.

 

Calibre Partners, formerly KordaMentha, has been appointed receivers.

In a letter to suppliers, receivers Brendon Gibson, Neale Jackson and Natalie Burrett, says they are now in control of the assets of businesses of the van Leeuwen Group.

They intend to continue running the business, which comprises 10 dairy platforms and four support blocks with 8000ha under management, milking approximately 10,000 cows. It also includes the world’s largest robotic farm.

Owned by Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen, the business was among a number of other farmers around New Zealand who have suffered from the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak, which hit their farms in July 2017.

They were embroiled in a legal battle with Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) in a dispute about compensation. They have already been paid out $6.3 million by MPI, but sought further compensation for professional consultancy fees, bank charges and assorted other costs.

Early last year VGL refinanced its operations under a $140 million deal with Australian-based funds manager, Merricks Capital.

On Wednesday Calibre Partners wrote to the van Leeuwens giving notice that Merricks had appointed them receivers.

More like this

Winners and losers

The main beneficiaries of the EU FTA will be kiwifruit, onions, honey, wine and seafood.

Low-emission latte

OPINION: Staying on climate change, forget fair-trade coffee beans and cows' milk substitutes, low-emission lattes could be the next big thing to land at your local cafe.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…