A MASSIVE $20 million expansion proposal by Midfield to produce more than 200 new jobs has given Warrnambool and Premier Denis Napthine a welcome boost at a time when other areas of Victoria's manufacturing sector have been slashing employment.
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The Midfield Group will construct a $15m cold storage facility in Scott Street, upgrade its rendering plant at Levys Point with $3m worth of works and spend another $2m on improving refrigeration at the abattoir.
It has been promised $1.5m in state funding.
On top of that, further investment is likely with a proposed dairy processing plant on the site of the city council's works depot adjacent to the meatworks.
That will entail complex transfer of land ownership from the government to the council before it could be sold to Midfield and then be rezoned.
The expansion plans enhance Midfield's status as one of the south-west's biggest enterprises.
From humble beginnings three decades ago it has expanded its reach beyond local borders into highly-competitive international export markets and has hopes of further growth. It processes about two million head of livestock annually, employs 1100 staff and directly sources its meat from 3500 farmers statewide.
It fits well in the state government's vision last week for Victoria to become a food bowl for expanding Asian markets, the federal government strategy for Asian markets and the Great South Coast regional growth plan.
As mayor Michael Neoh said yesterday, the expansion proposals are a statement of confidence in Warrnambool's future. Rather than uprooting and moving elsewhere the company has again shown it is here for the long haul.
