AUSTRALIA – Nestle S.A. has announced that its subsidiary Nestle Australia Ltd. Is set to invest US$65.5 million to upgrade its Blayney factory that manufactures Purina PetCare products.
The announcement brings total investment to the site to almost US$200 million in the past 10 years.
The latest investment will extend existing production areas and include installation of new equipment, allowing for increased production capacity and export growth.
Nestle Blayney factory manager, Andrew Devlin said the upgrading of its equipment will finalize in 18 months. There will be 100 construction, installation and commissioning jobs onsite and approximately US$10 million of civil works.
Andrew Devlin said the investment was a reflection of Nestlé’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing.
“Nestle is committed to investing in continuous improvement of the Blayney site, and this investment also signals the continuous support for the broader Blayney community,” said Andrew.
“The upgrade is estimated to take about 18 months, during which we estimate there will be 100 construction, installation and commissioning jobs here on site, with an estimated US$10 million of civil works planned.
“When it’s completed, we will see an increase in the use of local ingredients as we ramp up production.”
Mr Devlin said that more than 80 percent of raw materials used at the Blayney factory are sourced locally, including meat and grains and that would increase.
“Increased production capacity will also help us to boost our local and export volumes. More than US$45 million of pet food left Blayney for export last year, including to Japan, New Zealand and Thailand.” Mr Devlin added.
The Nestlé factory in Blayney began operations in 1989, and now features world-class facilities which manufacture brands such as Proplan, Supercoat, Felix, Fancy Feast and Purina One.
Nestlé Blayney employs more than 280 staff and supports more than 60 local businesses and contractors in western NSW.
Nestle has recently reported an organic growth of 2.8% on its half-year results for its financial year 2020, where it saw real internal growth (RIG) of 2.6%.
According to the Swiss multinational food and drink company the growth was supported by sustained momentum in the Americas and positive sales development in Zone EMENA (Europe, Middle East and North Africa).
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