Global packaging firm Orora hires 40 new people in Hastings

Andrew King checks the quality of printing at Orora Kiwi Packaging's plant in Hastings, where 40 new people have been hired. Photo / Warren Buckland

Australia-owned global packaging firm Orora has hired 40 new people in its Hastings plant and invested millions of dollars in new machinery.

The 40 new jobs are spread across two new shifts - afternoon and evening - for a dramatic boost in capability.

The company recently spent $25 million in new equipment across its Hastings, Christchurch and Auckland Orora Kiwi Packaging sites, of which general manager Matthew McGowan said a "significant" share went to Hastings.

The new Orora jobs help relieve the bane of the Hawke's Bay economy - seasonal work.

"We are extending our shifts and team members throughout the whole year now," Mr McGowan said.

There are now 142 staff at the Hastings plant in the industrial suburb of Omahu, providing cardboard packaging to mainly to horticultural (kiwifruit and apple), meat industry and local small-to-medium-sized business customers. Hastings now boasts a "state-of-the-art" Flexo Folder Gluer (FFG) - a box-making machine that increases capacity, print capability and quality - and a rotary die-cutter to increase the site's capacity and increased automation.

"The additional machines increase our capacity and we have relocated volume into the region, so it is closer to our customers."

The machines reduced "twisting/lifting" jobs that could cause repetitive-strain injuries.

"We try to automate manual-handling processes, which doesn't affect the number of team members."

The ASX-listed company, with its head office in Melbourne, employs 5700 people across 124 sites in seven countries, supplying fibre, metal and glass packaging solutions, as well as packaging-related services such as distribution and recycling.

"The New Zealand market is core to Orora's Australasian business growth strategy as is evidenced by our ongoing financial commitment to our Orora Kiwi Packaging operations," chief executive and managing director Nigel Garrard said.

The addition of new machinery, including a FFG on Christchurch "reinforces our strong business confidence in the New Zealand South Island as it rebuilds following the earthquakes that severely impacted the region". The news of Orora's investment comes on the back of dozens of jobs likely to be lost from nearby firm Compac as it shifts production to new plants in Auckland and China.

Formerly known as Fruit Handling Systems, the Hastings plant was a victim of success, Compac's VP global people and capability Siobhan Cohen said.

"Because of our growth we are starting to look at our global optimisation strategy," she said.

The company was consulting staff on the planned closure of the manufacturing facility but intended to keep a strong Compac presence in the region.

"Whilst we are looking at not producing products down there, we are still planning on investing further in our service and sales functions," Ms Cohen said.

New Zealand-owned Compac is also a global company, employing 700 people globally providing turnkey packhouse equipment in more than 40 countries for a variety of produce.