The meatworks mentor: Veteran boner retiring after 50 years at Whakatu

Kawe Ropiha says his last days of his 50 years at the meatworks have been the same as any others. Photo / Paul Taylor

Veteran meatworkers mentor Kawe Ropiha might be heading into retirement after 50 years, but the advice he's got for those replacing him is still razor sharp.

The 70-year-old will have his last day on the seam line at Silver Fern Farms' Pacific processing plant in Whakatu on Friday, where he has worked since the plant was built in 1973.

Monday this week marked the 50th anniversary of Ropiha's first day on the job at what was the Dawn Meat Limited plant in town.

"Time just goes," he said, adding that his final days on the job have been the same as any others despite their significance.

"I tend to let everything flow over the top of me, don't let too much get to me."

The father of six boned carcasses for more than 30 years before shifting to the seam line at age 60, thinking doing that for another 10 years would have been a bit much.

Kawe Ropiha working at the plant more than 30 years ago. Photo / Supplied

"It's actually harder where I am now than boning," Ropiha said.

"It took me three years to get the knack."

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Over the years the veteran, whose favourite cut of meat is porterhouse, would help out any newbies struggling with the work.

"I'd say to them, take your time, just watch me do half a dozen, have a go and if you're not comfortable watch me do another 20," Ropiha said

"I'd help them out and then say 'Okay, you're flying solo now'. I'll make you swim but I won't let you drown."

He said he had a lot of good teachers himself over the years, but had never thought of himself as having the same impact on countless other workers.

"You work with someone for about two months, and when they can keep up with you, you just shake their hand and move on."

Kawe Ropiha, right, has seen the Whakatu plant evolve massively since it opened in 1973. Photo / Supplied

Ropiha never planned to move into that mentoring role and simply having all that experience meant he had more to share.

He never had any interest in moving up the career path to become a foreman, management or anything like that though: "I like things simple."

A serious car accident in July 1995 saw the Hastings man hospitalised, where he spent 10 days on life support.

"They didn't know whether I was going to be able to walk or talk."

But he was back at work that November, and back to boning soon enough too.

After spending much of his career at the Silver Fern Farms Whakatu plant boning, Kawe Ropiha has been on the seam line for the past decade. Photo / Paul Taylor

When asked how he got himself back to the Whakatu plant so quickly, Ropiha said his wife Kristin would describe him as stubborn.

"She wouldn't be wrong," he laughed.