Industrial energy efficiency a full-time job

Industrial energy efficiency a full-time job

A PhD focused on increasing the energy efficiency of milk powder production has led University of Waikato engineering graduate Tim Walmsley to a full-time job with the very research group within which he worked as a PhD candidate. “My PhD research demonstrated that steam use in a typical New Zealand milk powder factory could decrease […]

Seeka sees annual profit growth of up to 11%, planning for beefed-up capacity

Seeka sees annual profit growth of up to 11%, planning for beefed-up capacity

Seeka Kiwifruit Industries, the country’s biggest kiwifruit grower, sees annual profit growth of up to 11 percent and is planning to expand its capacity in coming years as kiwifruit crops recover from the outbreak of the Psa-V vine disease. The Te Puke-based company forecasts net profit of between $2.6 million and $3 million in the […]

Agrichemical operators reminded about certification

Agrichemical operators reminded about certification

Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) has endorsed the warnings made recently by Waikato Regional Council (WRC) that agrichemical contractors operating without certification are breaching regulations. Chief executive Roger Parton says RCNZ shares the concerns WRC – and other regional councils – have about unqualified and/or unregistered chemical applicators not been properly trained or qualified to […]

Anticipating a fruitful show

Anticipating a fruitful show

 Exhibiting at a leading United States trade show is expected to deliver returns for fresh produce sorting and packaging specialists BBC Technologies which says the event has borne fruit for the company in the past. BBC is the world’s leading supplier of blueberry sorting and packing machinery and has growing markets for its high quality […]

Accreditation milestone for Synlait Milk

Accreditation milestone for Synlait Milk

Synlait Milk has become a registered manufacturer of retail-ready infant milk formula for export to China. The Canterbury company announced on September 30 it had received approval from the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China. Managing director John Penno said the latest registration was a major milestone for the business. It […]

Dairy product prices rebound from five-year low

Dairy product prices rebound from five-year low

Dairy product prices rose in the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction, recovering from the lowest level in five years, as gains in anhydrous milk fat and sweet whey powder outweighed declines in rennet casein and butter milk powder. The GDT average winning price rose 1.4 percent to US$2,640, up from US$2,599 two weeks ago. Some 50,816 tonnes […]

Waikato Innovation Park receives $3M to ramp up value-added food production

Waikato Innovation Park receives $3M to ramp up value-added food production

The Waikato Innovation Park has received a $3 million equity injection from Callaghan Innovation. It will use the funds to kick off a $5.0 million expansion of its FoodWaikato spray drying facility this month. At full capacity, the new manufacturing capability is expected to inject an additional $38.5 million per year in export revenues back […]

Upskilling one strategy to cope with lower payout

Upskilling one strategy to cope with lower payout

With the announcement of a drop in Fonterra’s forecast milk solid payout, there’s an urgent need for farmers to review and revise budgets and to monitor cashflow going forward, to ensure debt levels don’t rise unnecessarily. Agribusiness management training is one way that farmers can address these issues and apply better management practices to their […]