What Bremworth’s $2 million Kāinga Ora wool carpet contract means for Whanganui

New Kāinga Ora homes will be fitted with Bremworth's wool carpets. Photo / Loic Leray

Bremworth will continue to operate a 24-hour roster at its Whanganui plant after the company’s three-year, $2 million contract to supply wool carpets to social housing agency Kāinga Ora.

The contract will supply wool carpets for about 900 of Kāinga Ora’s planned state housing projects each year, requiring about 95 tonnes of wool, or 25,000 sheep.

“It’s a demonstration of the potential scale of opportunity for our wool sector,” Bremworth chief executive Craig Woolford said.

It means extra work for the Whanganui factory.

“Our Whanganui plant will see a boost in yarn production from this contract and, as a result, we are keeping our 24-hour shift structure in place,” Woolford said.

The plant’s night shift was at risk of being disestablished earlier this year.

Instead, it has been kept, but with eight workers instead of 17.

“This isn’t just a commercial contract, it’s a signal to the entire construction sector that wool carpet meets the durability, safety and sustainability standards expected of any high-traffic housing environment,” Woolford said.

Bremworth also has a large plant in Napier.

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson announced at Fieldays earlier this month that new Kāinga Ora homes would have to be fitted with wool carpets, a change that was part of the coalition agreement between NZ First and National.

“The inclusion of wool is a win for New Zealand’s farmers and future tenants of these homes,” Woolford said.

“It is expected that this project will give us access to projects that had previously defaulted to synthetic solutions.

“Beyond the public housing win, we’re now expecting to be invited to present wool carpet solutions to property developers and construction firms involved in Kāinga Ora builds, and those working on private developments.”

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.