LIFE is returning to Dennington's dairy plant as some of the site's workers laid-off last year now ready it for production next month.
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Animal nutrition company ProviCo took the keys to the site from dairy giant Fonterra on Friday, officially becoming the third owner in its 113-year history.
When finance manager Bruce Titheridge left the site after Fonterra's shock closure last year he never thought he'd return.
"I never thought I'd be walking in the gate again," Mr Titheridge said.
He's now among seven former plant workers re-employed at the site. ProviCo is the third owner Mr Titheridge has worked for, including original owner Nestle, in his nearly 30 years at Dennington.
"I'm just so excited the plant is going to be used for what it was built for," Mr Titheridge said.
He said he was pleased experienced workers were being offered jobs, with plans to employ up to 30 in the future.
"When I started there were like 300 jobs and it got down to 100 at Fonterra. But 20 or 30 is a lot better than having a mothballed site," Mr Titheridge said.
"I am over 60, I was applying for jobs, put my hand up for two or three and I didn't hear back. I started to think it was my age that was against me.
"But in a way my age and experience has been an advantage, I feel very lucky."
Site manager Joel Saywell, who led the Fonterra factory, is also returning to head the new team.
"It's a relief that the sale has gone through and an operator has bought it who has good values around sustainability and good strong connections around the dairy industry," Mr Saywell said.
"One of the new guys we put on was put off as an electrician due to COVID-19. He's been able to come onboard with us now to start a new chapter."
He said the site's change from producing milk powder and employing 100 staff to now employing smaller numbers using dairy industry by-products to produce milk replacements for farm animals reflected a trend in manufacturing.
"Dennington has become more cost competitive, because we are able to size our employment base to the size of the operation," Mr Saywell said.
"I think you have to find a niche market to be cost competitive in, because manufacturing is a global trade now."
READ more:
- Sale has no-restrictions on factory's use, retrenched workers offered jobs
- Animal nutrition company ProviCo to buy Fonterra Dennington factory
- Fonterra Dennington workers bid farewell to factory
- Workers leave Dennington factory behind, call for site to continue
- Jobs lost as diary giant announces closure of Dennington milk plant
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Jackson Graham
Jackson is a reporter for The Standard.
Jackson is a reporter for The Standard.
