Forty-five years ago Rangiuru meat works opened primarily as a regional abattoir but today it's a major export processor dispatching goods to more than 100 countries.
With 650 workers on site at the peak of the season, processing mutton/lamb, beef, bobby calves, goats and venison, Affco injects $26 million into the
Te Puke economy with wages, says plant manager Lance Warmington.
He is proud of his workforce, which is multi-skilled and adapts to handling every species.
This month, the works processed 45,000 mutton/lamb carcasses a week, which was a new peak and due to the highly skilled workforce, he says.
At the moment, off-peak season, about 450 workers are on site but Mr Warmington says he's always looking for skilled, reliable, consistent staff.
"We'll be taking on another 150 workers in early November when the ewe season starts," says Mr Warmington. "We want clean, tidy types. Applicants needs to know we have a policy of drug testing in the workplace and we'll check their references. Application forms are available at the office, off SH2 at Rangiuru.
"Average hourly wage rates range from $17 to $26 and there is the chance of promotion for people keen to get on in the industry."
Mr Warmington, who has been at Rangiuru for two years, is an example of succeeding in the industry. He started out as a meat inspector working for MAF in Dargaville, where he grew up on the family's market gardening property.
He joined Affco and worked at various meat works throughout the North Island as a boning room supervisor, then a manager. He was asked to go to Canada to "sort out" a meat works there, before returning to Hawera.
"There are opportunities for people joining the industry to get on a career path.
"I couldn't run this plant without having a good team to help with aspects of the business I'm not so familiar with."
Team members include production manager Ike Tapsell, who has worked his way up from the kill floor, compliance manager Debby Wells, HR co-ordinator Donna Hirini, chief engineer John Williamson and the man most farmers in the Bay meet as the face of Affco, stock buyer Kevin Ralph.
