Site manager Joel Saywell compared the dryer's rhythm, which sounded from the factory's eight-storey tower on Monday, to "the heartbeat of Dennington".

"It's the end of an era, the site has been a manufacturing site for over 100 years. Tonight will be the last powder manufacturing the site will make into the foreseeable future," Mr Saywell said.

About 70 workers still employed at the factory completed regular tasks on Monday before the factory's last commercial run of milk powder.

Many who had been working at the site for decades were reminiscent while others remained stoic, focussed on completing their work diligently and with pride.

The final milk tanker delivery arrived into the truck bay on Monday afternoon. Workers will bag up the last run of powdered milk, load it onto pallets and into trucks on Tuesday.

From Tuesday, the factory will no longer be productive but workers will continue a "deep clean" of the site until late November, when the site will completely shutdown.

"They'll put all the pallets all in one area. Clean-up all the powder, flush the lines, get the powder out of the pipes," Mr Saywell said.

Fonterra announced the factory's imminent closure in May, due to a declining milk pool that the dairy giant said led to it under utilising the ageing facilities.

At the time there were 98 workers at the site, and Mr Saywell said he was proud of his teams' work ethic under the circumstances in the last five months.

"The teams have done exceptionally well since the announcement," he said.

"We haven't had any down-graded product made, everyone has maintained a good sense of humour and enjoyed the last time working here. Rather than it being a morbid, sad situation.

"The team have embraced the end, and they have a pride they've displayed by doing their job in a diligent and safe manner."

He said workers were reflective and sharing anecdotes during the site's last days, adding that they were invited to tour their families through the site in late November.

"For some of them it will be the first time their families have been on the site," Mr Saywell said.

He said the workers were finding different pathways forward.

"Some of the guys are nearing their retirement, they are being well looked after as they move to their next stage of their lives. And some are just starting off their careers," Mr Saywell said.

"What has impressed me is the positivity and the ones who have looked for work have generally been very successful in landing a role."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.