Construction work officially underway at Huon Aquaculture.
Construction work is officially underway on the new $12 million Huon Aquaculture Value Added Seafood Processing Facility at Parramatta Creek in northern Tasmania.
The first sod was turned today by Acting Premier Jeremy Rockliff assisted by Huon Aquaculture Managing Director Peter Bender, Wiley Managing Director Tom Wiley and Federal Member for Lyons, Eric Hutchinson.
Tom Wiley with Peter and Frances Bender at Parramatta Creek, Tasmania
The new facility is expected to employ around 100 people when it opens its doors at the end of the year.
Managing Director of Huon Aquaculture, Peter Bender said it was an exciting day for the company and marked a major milestone in the company’s growth plans.
“The new smokehouse and new product centre is part of a four-year, $100 million controlled growth strategy for the company which consolidates our operations to Tasmania, delivers increased production capacity and efficiency whilst reducing our environmental footprint,” said Mr Bender.
Mr Bender said the start of construction signalled a new era for Huon Aquaculture, which has been experiencing unprecedented sales growth and continues to promote the Tasmanian brand both nationally and worldwide.
Footage courtesy of Southern Cross News
Specialist food processing design and construction firm Wiley have been commissioned to deliver the new facility, with plans to employ an estimated 100 local tradespeople during the construction phase.
Wiley Managing Director Tom Wiley said the new facility would be the most advanced of its kind in Australia.
“It’s satisfying to work with aspirational food processing companies. Huon are backing themselves for a successful food manufacturing facility to service Australia and global exports,” said Mr Wiley.
“Wiley is continuously focussed on delivering greater efficiencies and design innovation with all our projects. We look forward to delivering Huon the very best,” said Mr Wiley.
The ‘value-added’ products to be processed at the new facility include hot and cold-smoked salmon, gravadlax and other premium gourmet products.
Mr Bender said that people interested in applying for a job at the new facility are invited to send an expression of interest via the Huon Aquaculture website. The company will also be conducting a recruitment drive in the north-west of Tasmania later in the year.
Project Details
- The new factory will be 2,500 square metres. About double the size it is today.
- The new facility is designed to maximise linear flow and provide complete segregation between hot and cold smoked processing.
- A suspended walkway across existing and new processing facilities will provide access to staff entry areas, as well as viewing facilities for customers and visitors. Visitor’s get to see first-hand Huon’s clean, efficient and transparent fish processing facility.
- Additional works will include an upgrade to the existing fresh salmon processing facility, a new office and staff amenities building, extended car-parking facilities and other associated civil works.
