the lockyer valley - food industriesfoodindustries.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/for...beetroot...
TRANSCRIPT
The Lockyer Valley Regional Council has made land
available for the project to the east of Gatton town
site. It is well situated just off the Warrego Highway.
All services including gas are within the precinct. The
land is located above any recorded flood levels, as
well as the site access roads which connect to the
Warrego Highway, this highway is generally not
affected for extended periods by flooding.
Australia has been losing its food manufacturing businesses
to overseas locations on the mistaken view that our labour
costs are too high and that they are the cause of the
problem. Research by the proponent shows, that this is not
the whole picture.
When drilling down into the operation of these plants, it can
be seen that essentially they have all be allowed to
deteriorate to a point where the plant is not running
efficiently when compared with modern plants installed in
competitor countries.
With the construction of this plant the proponent
hope to demonstrate that a well-designed efficient
factory can fulfil the goal of being the lowest cost
supplier with the added advantage of knowing that
the produce itself has been grown under ideal,
healthy conditions and packaged in the most hygienic
and efficient plant available. New preservation
processes will also ensure the preservation of as many
of the healthy micronutrients as possible.
General Description
The plant is to be architecturally designed to deliver a modern industrial
building compatible with its surroundings and in accordance with the Lockyer
Valley Regional Council Planning Guidelines.
The building will be of tilt slab construction and will enclose 6000 square
meters of processing and storage areas.
Modern offices, staff amenities and training rooms are also included.
Provision is being made to expand the plant in the future to meet demand,
without disrupting the existing plant operations.
Processing steam and services can be added to, without the necessity to close
the plant or rebuild existing expensive steam and services installations.
The general amenity for the staff at the facility will be that of a bright modern
factory with all of the expected staff amenities.
The environment within the processing area will be designed for maximum
staff comfort and to provide the optimum conditions to preserve the
vegetables in their freshest condition. This will continue the process begun
by chilling the vegetables on receivals to remove “field heat” by keeping the
general processing area at 20 C and higher humidity.
Land scaping, appropriate colours and modern signage will further
emphasize the impression of a modern cutting edge facility.
Produce receivals are designed to be drive through in order to isolate heavy
vehicles from the working precinct.
Our program addresses:
Bulk Handling
Produce Tracking
5.3. Integrated Farmer Operations
Field Heat
RFID tracking
Scanning Technology for Size Grading
Recycling Scrubbing Water
Ultra violet sterilisation and chemical destruction
Scrubbing root vegetables
Excess produce to cool room preservation
Compressed air cool room loading system
RFID Tracking
Cold room ethylene capture
Positive air movement through produce
Humidity and temperature control
Canning
Cans sizes being considered are 425 grams, 850 grams and 3.0
litre catering cans.
• Products to be considered for canning at this stage are beetroot
slices, beetroot wedges, baby beetroots and beetroot cubes,
sweet corn kernels, creamed sweet corn and possibly baby
sweet corn, as well as baby whole peeled potatoes.
• Initial production of all canned products is planned for twenty
two million cans per annum.
• Advanced cooking retort technology
• PET Bottles
• Pouches
• Whole, slices and wedges
• Ready to Eat Fresh Packaging
• Utilisation of Waste Vegetable Solids
• Stock Feed
• Gassified Bio Waste as Boiler Fuel
• UTILISATION OF LIQUID WASTE
• Sludge to Organic Fertiliser
• Liquid residue as Organic Fertiliser
Burn Natural Gas and Bio Methane in Gas Engines to
Generate Electricity
In order to contain energy costs, minimise the
process waste stream and minimise energy outage
risks the proponents plan to address the issues by
using several layers of response to the risks.
• Waste Heat from Engines generates Process Steam
• Waste Heat from Steam to Run Absorption Chiller’s
The building will be architecturally designed and
constructed of tilt slab concrete with an insulated
metal roof.
Included in the project will be a Food Innovation and
Instruction Centre which has been supported by the
Lockyer Regional Council
Best confirmed estimates are that up to 50 - 75extra jobs will be created which are directly relatedto the project.
• Many more people will also gainemployment benefit to a lesser degree bythe increased economic activity which theproject will generate.
• Several related studies at other study sites,show an employment multiplier of 1.55 forthe extended workforce in the surroundingareas.
The proponent seeks to engage in discussion with its potential partner/s to determine the best way forward.
Crucial to funding and or for going to the market place for support, will be:
1. Agreed minimum supply volumes secured by contract for 10 years with an option to renew;
2. Minimum three year, ‘ex plant/delivered prices’ designed to ensure a profitable plant, with sufficient returns to attract investors and ensure funds for continuing development, reinvestment and innovation are obtained:
3. The right/ability for the company to develop and market is own branded beetroot with its partner’s support and approval.