Peel Region | Australian Abattoirs

Category Archives: Peel Region

Bunbury

Australian Abattoirs, Bunbury, Peel Region, Western Australia 28/07/2013 Leave a comment

Current Operation

Currently Accredited AUS-MEAT 14.01.13²
- Establishment Number 0686

Location

170km S Perth

Source – 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

Source – 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

Source – 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

Source – 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

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

Robb Jetty

Australian Abattoirs, Peel Region, Robb Jetty, Western Australia 24/06/2013 Leave a comment

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

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

Source – 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

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

Cowaramup

Australian Abattoirs, Cowaramup, Peel Region, Western Australia 23/06/2013 Leave a comment

Current Operation

Closed November 2009²

Location

11km north of Margaret River.

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

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

Waroona

Australian Abattoirs, Peel Region, Waroona, Western Australia 23/06/2013 Leave a comment

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

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 Station^{8 and}Nerrima Station purchased in transaction⁸
  - 2 properties cover 470,000 hectares and span the Fitzroy River.¹⁰

Sources

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

Mandurah

Australian Abattoirs, Mandurah, Peel Region, Western Australia 22/06/2013 Leave a comment

Other Names

Nambeelup.

Current Operation

Closed 2004

Location

Nambeelup – 90km S of Perth

Source – 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

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

Karnet

Australian Abattoirs, Karnet, Peel Region, Western Australia 22/06/2013 Leave a comment

Current Operation

Operating as a special purpose abattoir

Location

30 km E of Mandurah

Source – 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

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

Harvey

Australian Abattoirs, Harvey, Peel Region, Western Australia 21/06/2013 Leave a comment

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.

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 East^{4 & 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 closure^{2 & 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 2^nd time, 1^st 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

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

Baldivis

Australian Abattoirs, Baldivis, Peel Region, Western Australia 21/06/2013 Leave a comment

Current Operation

Operating as at 2013

Location

Between Perth and Mandurah – 35 km S Perth

Source – Hema Maps. Australia Truckies Atlas

Owner

Konynen Farm

Operation

Processes Rabbits¹

History

Sources

WAMIA Meat Processors 2013

Australian Abattoirs

Category Archives: Peel Region

Bunbury

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Cowaramup

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