Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Winstone Pulp International closes operations at Ruapehu mills; hundreds of jobs lost

Whanganui Chronicle
10 Sep, 2024 04:06 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Winstone Pulp International has been operating for 45 years.

Winstone Pulp International has been operating for 45 years.

The closure of Winstone Pulp International’s central North Island mills is “a massive blow to Ruapehu and our communities”, the district’s mayor says.

On Tuesday, Winstone Pulp International (WPI) announced the official closure of operations at the Karioi pulp mill and the Tangiwai sawmill after rising energy prices href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/energy-prices/" target="_blank">forced an operational pause last month. The mills provide more than 200 permanent jobs in the district.

Chief executive Mike Ryan said it was not a decision taken lightly.

“We gave due consideration to the feedback and alternatives put forward by staff and unions but have been unable to identify any viable options that enable the company to continue operations on a sustainable basis,” Ryan said.

“There were a number of good ideas put forward that would make incremental improvements to our operations, but not enough to offset the dual impacts of internationally uncompetitive energy prices in New Zealand, and the relatively low current and forecast market prices for pulp and timber.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

WPI was now shifting its focus to supporting its staff, including helping them into jobs with other industry players, working with the Ministry of Social Development and IRD, and ensuring they could access the company’s wellbeing providers and independent financial advisors, Ryan said.

“All of our people have been on full pay during the operational pause and consultation period.

“They will receive their redundancy entitlements in full, including working through their notice period.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

An operational pause was placed at the two sites on August 5, with Ryan saying energy prices were the main driver behind the move.

During a public meeting in Raetihi on August 27, workers said the closure was turning their lives upside down.

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton said he was deeply concerned and disappointed by the news of the closure, which would mean the loss of more than 200 permanent jobs.

“The closure is a massive blow to Ruapehu and our communities,” Kirton said.

“Our immediate concerns are now with the people and communities affected by this decision, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support them through this incredibly difficult time.”

Kirton said the council had already initiated preliminary discussions with Work and Income NZ and its iwi partners to co-ordinate support for the affected workers.

“I would like to especially recognise the workers, their families, and everyone who advocated for them in an attempt to avoid today’s outcome.

“Your strength and determination during this incredibly unsettling period have been truly inspiring.”

Ryan said since announcing the operational pause, WPI had worked hard to consider all available options, including seeking long-term price certainty for electricity at levels that would enable the company to be internationally competitive.

“Even though current spot pricing has fallen significantly from the August highs, current electricity futures pricing indicates that nothing is going to materially change in the medium-term regarding wholesale market electricity pricing.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ryan said WPI had also engaged with Government ministers and their officials.

“We haven’t been alone in this effort and would like to thank our team, local community leaders, unions, iwi, mayors, MPs and the Minister for Regional Development Shane Jones, who have all spoken out strongly on our behalf, organised hui, and set up public petitions to try and save local jobs.”

The decision would hit “our people and the community hard”, Ryan said.

“As tough as this news is, our people need certainty to get on with their lives.

“Thank you to the community for the support they’ve shown us, and our teams over the past 45 years.”

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Two dead after boat capsizes off Pātea coast

15 Jun 02:37 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Rescuers search for two people after boat capsizes near Pātea

14 Jun 11:38 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Matariki 2025: Whanganui, Ruapehu to feature in national celebration

13 Jun 05:00 PM

It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Two dead after boat capsizes off Pātea coast

Two dead after boat capsizes off Pātea coast

15 Jun 02:37 AM

One survivor was plucked from the water as rescue crews recovered two bodies.

Rescuers search for two people after boat capsizes near Pātea

Rescuers search for two people after boat capsizes near Pātea

14 Jun 11:38 PM
Matariki 2025: Whanganui, Ruapehu to feature in national celebration

Matariki 2025: Whanganui, Ruapehu to feature in national celebration

13 Jun 05:00 PM
Wharf work fast-tracked due to erosion and contamination concerns

Wharf work fast-tracked due to erosion and contamination concerns

13 Jun 05:00 PM
The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE
sponsored

The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP