A NZD 23 million (€13.2 million/$16.4 million) mussel processing facility which will help provide the world’s largest half-shell production capacity has opened in Tauranga, New Zealand.
Prime Minister John Key officially opened North Island Mussel Processor’s (NIMPL’s) new factory which contains the world’s first automated mussel opening (AMO) machines.
NIMPL director Peter Vitasovich said the company’s new state-of-the-art Greenshell mussel processing plant will see export manufacturing capacity increase nearly three-fold thanks to the new AMO technology.
“Our new Tauranga factory houses 28 automated mussel opening (AMO) machines that each process up to 3,600 mussels per hour – that’s more than 1.6 million mussels per 16-hour day.
“When fully operational, NIMPL will boast the world’s largest capacity for half-shell production,” said Vitasovich.
NIMPL chairman Geoff Burgess described the joint venture as an innovative model for export cooperation and rationalisation, saying NIMPL will contribute to the industry’s ambitious plan of making New Zealand’s aquaculture sector a sustainable billion dollar industry by 2025 – a plan that has the full support of the government.
“Our ability to process this raw product in such high volumes at a lower cost base will increase New Zealand’s competitiveness in overseas markets and help build a sustainable model for the future,” said Burgess.
Currently NIMPL’s existing factory operates with manual mussel openers – this factory will now redirect its focus on delivering value-added mussel products.
NIMPL is one of Tauranga’s largest employers, with a total of approximately 220 staff – 35 being permanent and the balance of 185 being seasonal staff. A further 200 seasonal staff were contracted during the transitional phase to begin processing in the new AMO factory.
Greenshell mussels are a species unique to New Zealand waters.
Aquaculture accounts for approximately 20% of the value of New Zealand’s total fisheries production, with Greenshell mussels being the greatest contributor to the growth of this industry.
Greenshell mussels represent 77% of the New Zealand aquaculture sector, which is worth more than NZD 300 million (€172.7 million/$214.3 million)
NIMPL is an equal joint venture between Sanford Ltd, Sealord Group Ltd and Greenshell New Zealand Ltd and tasked with developing a low-cost, high-volume mussel processing facility.
It is a toll processor in that the company doesn’t own the product, but adds value to a raw material for its shareholders who export Greenshell mussels around the world to markets such as the US, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
