Category Archives: Peel Region

Bunbury

Current Operation

  • Currently Accredited AUS-MEAT 14.01.132
    • Establishment Number 0686

Location              

  • 170km S Perth

Australia. Bunbury

BunburySource – Hema Australia Map. 9th edition

Owner

  • V & V Walsh Meat processor & Exporters4
  • Vern & Jean Walsh established 1957, business now currently operated by Sons Peter & Greg Walsh7

Operation

  • Cattle,Sheep  and lamb3
  • Export accredited
  • Medium sized1 – says is a multi species ab???
  • Is a preferred supplier to Woolworths1
  • Is a fully integrated plant but has limitations1
  • Considered as best alternative to assist to increase capacity for export if ‘Harvey’ fell over, has much smaller capacity than Harvey1
  • Can process 400 hd a day4. Doesn’t stipulate if means sheep or cattle.
  • Beef & sheep products distributed throughout Australia, retail through Woolworths, speciality stores and restaurants7
  • V & V Walsh supply markets to other countries, including China, Have an office in Bejing7
  • Branded products – Amelia Park Lamb & Beef, distributed with partner company Trim & Tasty meats.7
  • All beef and lamb slaughter is done so by accredited Muslim slaughtermen using Halal kill techinques7
  • Abattoir itself employs 420 people, Woolworths expansion in 2011 employed further 70 staff, total Staff employed 650 people9
  • Can slaughter 3500 head lamb/mutton a day, half is boned and packed on site7
  • Have a shedded feedlot for lamb to guarantee supply7
  • Can slaughter 400 head cattle a day, ability to bone and process 300 carcasses a day7
  • Offal is trimmed and packed to customer specifications. Time from leaving the kill floor to freeze the offal to -10C, less than 48 hours.7

outsideSource – http://www.insightps.com.au
Bunbury abattoir – Western Australia

History

 1957

  • established by Vern & Jean Walsh7

2009-2011

  • underwent significant expansion in abattoir processing area and ‘cold chain’ connections between the abattoir and the production and warehouse facilities5
  • Expansion cost $31M – The Bunbury meat centre9
  • Deboning room expansion included
    • construction of new export standard beef/sheep chiller facilities6
    • load out facility extensions6
    • new amenities for staff6

boning roomSource – http://www.insightsps.com.au.
Boning room facilities inside Bunbury abattoir

  • Cold storage included
    • 32,000 carton capacity cold storage6
    • 2000 pellets of chilled meat9

ChillerSource – http://www.insightsps.com.au.
Chiller facilities inside Bunbury abattoir

2012

  • Bunbury employer – CEO Peter Walsh. blames Bunbury’s staggering unemployment rate of 6.3%, (above WA state average of 3.8%, and Australia’s 5.1%) on widespread ‘slack’ attitude of local workers8
  • Abattoir employs temporary foreign workers because locals are “not up to the task”8
  • Foreign workers are not cheap but more reliable than Australians8
  • One third of employee’s come from overseas using 457 visa, allow eligible workers to be employed for up to 4 years or a working holiday visa8
  • Employing foreign workers involved constant retraining and rehiring of new staff8
  • Continually advertised for new staff in last 5 years.

2014

  • Signed a $1B deal with Chinese company Grand Farm10
    • Grand Farm are the largest red meat importer in China.10
      • Currently supply 1% of Chinese market10
      • Want to increase to 3%10
    • If average lamb consumption is increased in China by 1 kg require extra 65M lambs10
    • If average beef consumption is increased in China by 1kg require extra 6.5M cattle10
  • Bunbury (Harvey Beef) is the only accredited exporter of WA beef to China11
    • Currently 75% of Bunbury production is sold domestically11
    • Expansion, within 5 years will double exports to about 50%11
  • Bunbury will process extra 500,000 lambs and 30,000 cattle to begin to supply Grand Farm10
    • Possible many grain producers will shift to livestock production.10
  • V & V Walsh are assisting in setting up Cattle feedlot in inner Mongolia10

Sources

  1. Parliament Hansard P. Omodei 17.08.05
  2. AUS-MEAT Accreditation list 14.01.13
  3. WAMIA Meat Processors 2013
  4. ‘Northern Australian Beef Industry – Assessment of risks and opportunities’ ABARE 2012
  5. www.insights.com.au, sourced 23.06.13
  6. www.capitalhouse.com.au, sourced 23.06.13
  7. www.halalexporter.com, sourced 23.06.13
  8. ‘Bleak jobless outlook for Bunbury workforce’ Bunbury Mail. 11.06.12
  9. ‘Bunbury meat centre extension opening’ www.woolworthslimited.com.au. 21.03.12
  10. Billion dollar meat deal with Chinese importer. Beef Central. 17.06.2014
  11. ‘We’ll have meat with that’ Nth QLD Register. 19.06.2014

Robb Jetty

Other names

  • Fremantle Freezing and Meat works7

Current Operation

  • Closed, is now a historic site with a preserved chimney of the original meat processing works.6

coogee-chimney-01-2012

Source – http://www.mingor.net/

Robbs Jetty meat processing site, historic chimney that has been preserved at the site.

Location              

  • Fremantle Freezing and meat works7

Australia. Robb Jetty

Map. Robb JettySource – Hema Maps. Australia Truckies Atlas.

Owner

  • Fremantle Freezing and Meat Works7
  • Western Australian Meat Preservers7
  • Western Australian Meat Exporters7

                               

Operation

  • Processed cattle and sheep
  • Had access from sea for unloading barges and railhead for inland animals
  • Export2
  • Operated originally by the WA Meat co-operative
  • had a long pier/jetty going to the ocean – named Robs Jetty.
  • Cattle transported from North WA, barges would unload onto jetty and animals walk to abattoir.
  • Closed due to population pressure, other abattoirs & prices

 History          

1850’s

  • Meat houses constructed in the area to service the convict establishment at Femantle Gaol7

1894 

  • Duracks (Kimberley’s) through agents Francis Conner and Dennis Doherty shipped cattle to Fremantle5
  • Dame Mary Durack- ‘Sons in the saddle’ – cattle originally swam to shore, now offloaded onto a jetty5
  • Cattle getting £3 a head in south markets, started their own Live Export to Manila5
  • Slaughterhouses established in the area, known as ‘Kimberley Meat Ring’, they had a monopoly on meat supply to metropolitian and Goldfields7.
    • Forrest, Emaual and Co
    • Conner, Doherty and Durack

1898

  • Railway was built from Fremantle to Robb Jetty6
  • Same period abattoir was built in Fremantle – consisted of offices, holding yards, freezer and chiller facilities6

1919

  • Robb Jetty constructed – prior to construction animals unloaded into the water and swam to shore7
  • Robb jetty abattoir constructed, portion being the preserved chimney – Known as Fremantle Freezing and Meat works. Capacity limited to few thousand lambs per year7
  • Abattoir also was cold store for potatoes, fruit, manufactured ice and carried out wool scouring7

1940

  • Robb Jetty company in financial strife, Commonwealth government stepped in to provide help.7

1942

  • Company bought out by government, changed name to Western Australian Meat Preservers’ latter to ‘Western Australian Meat Exporters’7
  • Abattoir diversified to include fruit storage, egg pulp, turtle and crayfish processing7

1966  

  • Ship – Centaur,passenger liner that carried 4000 sheep below decks. turned every fortnight from Singapore, Kuala Lumpar & Perth, return trip would pick up at Broome from Emaual stations and taken to Fremantle, sold at Robbs Jetty saleyards5 Pg 25

1970’s

  • Jetty dismantled, possibly in 1960’s6

1988/89     

  • Abattoir closed by the National Party3

1992

  • Numerous attempt to revive competitiveness failed and was shut down7

1994

  • Equipment removed from building.7
  • Chimney is only part remaining, listed on the State register of Heritage Places.6

1996

  • State Government supplied $50,000 for restoration of chimney.7

Sources

  1. Personal Communication #1 28.01.13
  2. Parliament Hansard. S. Thomas. 17.08.05
  3. Parliament Hansard M Trenorden 17.08.05
  4. ‘Brief History of the WA Lamb Marketing board’ www.wammco.com.au
  5. ‘The Australian Livestock export trade’ Nigel Austin 2011
  6. ‘South Fremantle, Western Australia’ Wikipedia, 24.06.13
  7. ‘Interim Heritage listing for Robb Jetty Chimney’ Richard Lewis, Ministerial Media statement. 23.08.96

Cowaramup

Current Operation

  • Closed November 20092

Location              

  • 11km north of Margaret River.

Australia. Cowaramup

Map. Cowaramup

Owner               

  • Western Meat Processors, Director – F.E Lee3
    • General Manager, J Mc Quillan2

Operation

  • Processed Cattle1
  • Employs 452
  • Workers numbers 572

 

History

2005

  • Western Meat Processors begun operations at Cowaramup2

2009

  • March. Expansion worth $750,000, would provide increased slaughter throughput in late 2009.2
  • November 16th. Closed due to plant where carcases were processed destroyed by fire and not other plants available to process meat.2
  • O’Conner Meat factory4.
    • Owned by Western Meat Packers, located in McNeece Place, O’Conner, established 27 years.
    • Owner of O’Conner, Rod Russell also owned lamb processing plant in Osbourne park
    • Employed 300 people.
    • Fire was caused by an electrical fault in an exhaust system, caused $10M damage
    • were processing 2000 head of cattle a week
  • Staff undertook maintenance work until December, when facility was shut down entirely, future work in January would continue maintenance.2

2011

  • Licence issued 3rd February 2011to operate the works prescribed under the Environmental Protection Act. Issued for an extended period of 3 years5
    • Licence #L8036/1993/5. File SWB2063.
    • Category 15:Abattoir
    • Category 55: Livestock saleyard or holding pen

Sources

  1. WAMIA Meat Processors 2013
  2. ‘Cowaramup abattir to remain closed’ Farm Weekly 10.12.09
  3. http://www.mantra.com
  4. ‘Fire causes $10M damage to O’Conner meat factory’ Perth Now. 16.11.09.
  5. Environmental Protection Licence. Government of WA – Dept of Environment and conservation
  6. ‘Abattoir capacity in WA’. Letter by Terry Redman. Minister for Agriculture and Food. 18.03.09

Waroona

Waroona abattoir is located in south west of Western Australia. Prior to closure in 1998 it had been export accredited and processed sheep, goats and pigs. In 2014 Gina Rhinehart purchased 50% share of the facility with current owners Milne Agrigroup.

Other Names

  • Clover Meats8

Current Operation

  • Closed. Most recently – 20093

Location              

 Australia. Waroona      Map.Waroona           

Owner

  • Clover Meats
  • Milne Agrigroup5
  • Timepath Holdings7
  • South West Meat Processors (SWMP), D. Delaney3
  • Liveringa Station Beef. (2014) – Joint venture between Gina Rhinehart and Milne Agrigroup8

Operation

  • Still operational as at June 20051
  • Cattle and Pig2
  • Process sheep, goats & Pigs, registered as a domestic abattoir4
  • Prior to closure was handling 12% of WA cattle2
  • Was accredited export, once closed only left EG Green & sons as export accredited at 1998 (Harvey #648)2
  • Markets in Asia and US suffered downturns factor in closure2

History

Prior 2008

  • could have applied for government grants to introduce technology to reduce kill costs, “would have kept the jobs of many of their workers, one area where abattoir owners have fallen down or have not considered the opportunities which would have been created by the lower costs those technologies would have bought about”2
  • “Once it began slaughtering pigs it denied itself exports to certain sheep markets because Muslim countries don’t accept sheep meats killed in a pig abattoir”2

 1998  

  • Prior to closure was one of WA’s biggest export abattoirs7
  • closed for a period2

2007

  • Abattoir had been dormant for some time but current owneres (Milne Agrigroup) in discussions with several groups5
    • To sell entirely or
    • work in partnership to operate the plant, Milne Group won’t be operating plant on their own.

2008

  • June. Reopened6
  • To be only operated as service kill7
    • Aim to process 1000 sheep, 200 pigs per day initially, with possibiity to process cattle latter.
    • offering a 12 month contract up front, guarantees kill space
    • Most other abattoirs are processing their own product with only small service kill
  • Operated in conjunction with Delaney Meats also owned by D. Delaney6
  • Killing sheep and pigs, with capacity for 500 cattle a day

2009  

  • Closed 13.02.09. Economic downturn cited as reason3
  • South West Meat Processors called in liquidators cited6
    • lack of support from industry.
    • Delaney meats also closed but not subject to liquidation

“It was a lack of stock and the world market has not helped, Service kill contracts had backed off 50% and the value of skins had plummeted due to the slowdown in the global economy, the price of skins fell from $7.50 to $3 overnight” Daniel Delaney (60% share of SWMP)6

  • 40 people lose jobs3
  • 42 redundancies6

2014

  • Gina Rhinehart – Australian mining magnate enters into a joint investment to purchase 2 Kimberley cattle stations and the Waroona abattoir8
    • 50% stakeholding with Milne Agrigroup – Graham Laitt8
    • 50% share cost $40M9
      • Total transaction to establish LSB estimated at $65M10
    • Entity is named Liveringa Station Beef (LSB)8
      • Gina Rinehart Company – Hancock Prospecting9
      • Milne Agrigroup parent company – Dowford Investments9
    • Reasons for purchase cited – Confidence in Australian food exports to Asia8
    • Graham Laitt (Milne Agrigroup) is quoted as saying “LSB is moving away from live exports towards boxed beef”10
    • Liveringa Station8  and Nerrima Station purchased in transaction8
      • 2 properties cover 470,000 hectares and span the Fitzroy River.10

Sources

  1. Parliament Hansard. P. Omodei 17.08.05
  2. Parliament Hansard. K.Chance/M. Montgomery  13.10.98
  3. ‘Abattoir closure leaves 40 people jobless’ ABC News. 23.02.09
  4. WA Meat Industry Authority – as at November 2002.
  5. ‘From Famine to feast in WA slaughterings’ The Land 09.03.07
  6. ‘Australia – Another meat plant closes’ Farming UK. 14.02.09
  7. ‘New Lease of life for Waroona abattoir’ Farm Weekly. 18.06.08.
  8. ‘Rhinehart buys into beef business’ Nth QLD Register. 02.07.2014
  9. ‘Gina Rinehart buys Kimberley cattle stations’ Beef Central 03.07.2014
  10. http:/’Rinehart’s Hancocl Prospecting buys in to cattle stations’ AFR 03.07.2014

Mandurah

Other Names

  • Nambeelup.

Current Operation

  • Closed 2004

Location              

  • Nambeelup – 90km S of Perth

Australia. Mandurah

Map.MandurahSource – Hema maps. Australia truckies atlas

Owner

  • Nebru Exports –
  • Nottle Family    

Operation

  • Chilling equipment was of a very high standard1

 

History

2004  

  • Closed – Sold by receivers – purchased by EG Greens & Sons $5M was immediately gutted.1

2006  

  • District structure plan has abattoir ceasing operation 2006. (pg 14)2

Sources

  1. Parliament Hansard. P. Omodei 17.08.05
  2. http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/dop_pub_pdf/Nambeelup_DSP_Complete_-_August_2012.pdf

Karnet

Current Operation

  • Operating as a special purpose abattoir

Location              

  • 30 km E of Mandurah

Australia. Karnet

Map. KarnetSource – Hema Maps. Australia Truckies Atlas

Owner

  • Karnet Prison farm – is a minimum security prison2

Operation

  • Cattle & sheep processed in abattoir1
  • Training site for prisoners to gain experience and knowledge in agricultural production for employment prospects.2
  • Karnet works in conjunction with Pardelup prison farm (Mt Barker), have herd of cattle and sheep, produce is sold on the open market and steers brought to process in the abattoir with cull animals off the farms in the abattoir and boning plant.3
  • Farms produce milk, eggs, vegetables and fruit for other prisons in WA, estimated to save $2M a year in the produce being able to be supplied.3
  • Equipment, sheds and hydroponic systems built from equipment seized in drug raids.3

 

History

1963

  • Prison farm established2

 

Sources

  1. WAMIA Meat processors 2013
  2. http://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/prisons/prison-locations/karnet.aspx
  3. ‘Inside job’ Landline. 19.02.12. http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2012/s3434298.htm

Harvey

Other Names

  • Harvey Beef

Current Operation

  • Operating as at 2013. Establishment #648

Location              

  • Harvey WA. 160km S of Perth
  • rolling foothills of the Darling Range, 3km from Township of Harvey.

Australia. Harvey

Map. Harvey

Owner

  • Joint venture – Harvey Beef Industries. General Manager Dean Goode7
  • Harvey Indsutries group purchased for $27M 20068
    • Harvey Industries group is owned by International private equity firm – Harmony Capital management10
  • Others in Group with Harvey Beef Industries
  • Elders – 20% stake – sold to Harmony Investment Fund (Harmony Capital) $0.7M, June 20098
  • Stark Investments sold to Harmony Investment Fund, June 20098

Operation

  • Site is 190ha10
  • 180 ac kill 100 000 animals1
  • 175 0002 (3,500hd a week)– assume when upgrades done about 2004/2005
  • Processes 145,0009
  • Largest processor in WA9
  • Harvey also operate Harvey Industries Processing Centre (HIPC) – a boning facility in Fremantle10
  • Cattle only5
  • export accredited, does operate in domestic, main focus is export2
  • Domestic – process 11% of states supply for WA4
  • Processed 80-90% of beef export (prior to Waroona closing)6
  • Medium sized2
  • 700 workers2
  • Processes large steers, area of Capel, for export, only ab to be able to process the large animals3
  • $150M turnover4
  • Export to 30 countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Canada,Japan, Korea,Taiwan, Middle East4 & 10
  • 70% of Harvey beef product is exported10
  • Could process 210 0004
  • Food safety processes in place
    • Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) – process used for identification, evaluation & control.1
    • Onsite microbiological labratory accredited by the government National testing authority10
    • Underpinned by comprehensive standard operating procedures10
    • AQIS oversees meat hygiene, safety regulations and certification10
    • NLIS – use for identification and tracking of animals.10
  • Harvey Beef is accredited by globally recognised standards10.
    • USDA Approval
    • JAS Accreditation
    • MSA/EQA – gaurantees eating quality
    • Halal Religious and cultural criteria
    • Ausmeat A+ accreditation
    • Exceeds ISO standards under AQS

History

1919

  • Cited as the start of the establishment of WA largest beef producer at the site10

1924  

  • Built by Ernest and Mary Green1

1939 

  • Transported meat wholesale to metropolitan areas1

1945  

  • Company EG Greens and Sons Pty Ltd established.1
  • Started to acquire pastoral land – Balmoral Station & farms, Raised stock, shorthorns, Herefords, fat lambs, pastoral leases in NW, covered 1M hectares1

1959 

  • Granted export licence, continued to buy land, horse breeding and pastoral activities1.
  • Abattoirs improved and modernised, brine curing plants to handle skins and export of leather1.

2002 

  • Utilisation rate 60% – Industry average 70%5

2004

  • Utilisation rate 90% – Industry average 85%with 70-80% export5

2005  

  • Mentioned in review

“it is critical that this firm remains profitable and efficient to ensure the industry can continue to grow”2

  • Recently made additions to plant on slaughter floor and boning rooms2
  • Shut – Causes of downturn, drought, influx of cheap meat imports, LE and changing markets1
  • National Australia Bank/AWB landmark/Elders placed under recieivership2
  • Harvey had 90% of export market
  • Loss of Harvey result in direct cash loss of $8.5M in the town alone, multiplier $1.10 for every dollar lost, $2.10 equates to $17.5M/yr2
  • Corporate decisions cited as main problem causing closure2 & 4
  • Attempted to rationalise assets – sale of stations, Abattoir had 2 very bad trading months2
  • Some creditors owed $1M, producers $250 000, are others owed4

2006 

  • Purchase $27M – Harvey Industries Group8

2009  

  • March. WA largest abattoir – bargaining with unions “cost parity it needs to be competitive”
  • Workers rejected a 3 year workplace agreement for the 2nd time, 1st rejected month earlier. 160 workers since made redundant7
  • 115 voted against/99 in favour, would have led to a pay cut of 20% for 1/3 of workforce for 3 years7
  • Alternative may be short term agreement, wage cuts lasting 2 years some entitlement provisions7
  • April. 160 workers redundant, remaining workers accepted pay cut8
  • June. Harmony Capital buy all of Stark Investments and Elders shares in Harvey Beef8
  • Values company at $3.5M, 3 years previously paid $27M8???????? $3.5 sounds too low.
  • Harvey Beef website (accessed 22.06.13) updated 17.08.09.
    • Processing 145,000 grass and grain fed animals a year.10
    • Employs 300 people10

     

2013

  • Harvey Beef Website (accessed 22.06.13) undated Fact sheet.
    • Employees 650.10
    • Processing capacity 4,500 per week10
    • By products Hides, Meat and bone meal, blood meal and tallow10

2014

  • Andrew Forrest Minderoo group purchase for more than $30M11
  • Craig Mostyn Group – WA biggest pork processor had attempted to buy the facility11

Sources

  1. Harvey History Online. Undated
  2. Parliament Hansard 17.08.05.P Omodei.
  3. Parliament Hansard 17.08.05 S. Thomas
  4. Parliament Hansard 17.08.05. M Trenorden
  5. WAMIA . Meat Processors (2013)
  6. Parliament Hansard K. Chance 13.10.98
  7. ‘Harvey Beef workers vote against workplace agreement but new proposal offers hope’ AFN 27.03.09
  8. ‘Private equity firm snares Harvey Beef’ AFN 16.06.09
  9. ‘Northern Australian beef industry – Assessment of risks and opportunities’ ABARE 2012
  10. http://www.harveybeef.com.au/index.php/home
  11. ‘Craig Mostyn sell-off aims to boost growth’ Stock & Land 07.08.2014

Baldivis

Current Operation

  • Operating as at 2013

Location              

  • Between  Perth and Mandurah – 35 km S Perth

Australia. Baldivis

Map. BaldivisSource – Hema Maps. Australia Truckies Atlas

Owner

  • Konynen Farm

Operation

  • Processes Rabbits1

 

History

  •             

 

Sources

  1. WAMIA Meat Processors 2013
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