Fonterra to open Melbourne research centre

Fonterra is to establish a $16 million dairy innovation centre in Melbourne to develop consumer dairy products.

The research centre will complement its main research facilities in Palmerston North.

The centre, due to open in April 2007, will employ around 150 people, and will be Fonterra Innovation's second-largest research facility after Palmerston North, which employs more than 300 staff.

Fonterra's director of innovation, Bob Major, said at a Melbourne press conference that the facility -- the first of its kind in Australia -- will add to the work of product development centres in Mexico, Germany, Malaysia and Chile.

"Dairy innovation is key to the success of every part of Fonterra's business and to its ability to grow returns for shareholders," he said in a statement.

- REUTERS