Fonterra reopens Malaysian dairy plant after $7 million upgrade
Fonterra has reopened the doors to its milk powder manufacturing plant in Malaysia following a NZ$7 million investment to boost manufacturing efficiencies and ensure it continues to meet world-class health, safety, and food safety and quality standards.
The upgrade will allow the plant to blend and pack around 30,000 metric tonnes of milk powder products a year.
Mr Jose Miguel Porraz Lando, Managing Director of Fonterra Brands Malaysia and Singapore, asserts the improved facility means Fonterra can better address the growing demand for dairy — not just in Malaysia, but across 13 countries in South-East Asia and the Middle East where the site exports its dairy products.
“Demand for dairy nutrition is growing fast across the region driven by the rising middle class and huge populations. The investment will go a long way to helping us meet this growing demand for dairy and cement our role as a leading regional dairy manufacturer and exporter,” he said.
Mr Porraz Lando was joined at the official reopening of the plant by the Minister for Māori Development and Associate Minister for Economic Development, Te Ururoa Flavell; Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Yang Berhormat Datuk Haji Ahmad bin Haji Maslan; and Fonterra Director, David MacLeod.
Minister Flavell, who is in Malaysia for a business and cultural mission, said as New Zealand’s largest company, and the world’s biggest dairy processor and exporter, Fonterra plays a big role in putting New Zealand on the map globally.
“Fonterra has a 40-year presence and history in Malaysia and is an example of a successful New Zealand business using Malaysia as a regional hub. It is a real pleasure to be here to witness the impact of Fonterra’s dairy business in Malaysia.”
Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Yang Berhormat Datuk Haji Ahmad bin Haji Maslan said the reopening of Fonterra’s plant in Malaysia was an appropriate time to celebrate Malaysia and New Zealand’s bilateral relations, which marks its 60th anniversary this year.
“As the largest New Zealand investor in Malaysia, Fonterra Brands Malaysia plays an important role in facilitating the relationship between New Zealand and Malaysia. Over the last six years, Fonterra has invested close to $20 million in improvements across its two manufacturing sites — contributing significantly to Malaysia’s overall manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities,” he said.
The reopening of the upgraded milk powder manufacturing plant is another step forward for Fonterra in Malaysia, which has built a significant local presence over the past 40 years.
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