Milmeq wins $18m contract for NT beef processing plant

Milmeq has been awarded an AU$18 million contract to supply its food processing technology to a major new beef processing facility in the Northern Territory.

The NZ company will supply a full line of processing technology to the Australian Agricultural Company’s (AACo’s) state-of-the-art $90 million Livingstone Valley facility. The technology has been developed in New Zealand.

Milmeq CEO Mike Lightfoot said the technology will place the new facility among the world’s leaders in moving to highly technological processes.

“We are really proud of winning this contract,” Lightfoot said. “It confirms Milmeq’s leadership in top-end technology. We also see it as a win for the New Zealand technology and manufacturing sector in a competitive global market.”

Milmeq will supply the facility with all its processing equipment, including boning and slaughtering process equipment, refrigeration, air conditioning, chilling and freezing system, along with operations for materials handling and palletising.

According to Stu Cruden, general manager of the AACo project, Milmeq was selected from a highly competitive field because of its ability to provide an advanced total turnkey solution to all refrigeration and processing needs.

“A major greenfield development like this attracts a lot of attention,” Cruden said. “We chose Milmeq for its ability to provide a full range of specialist systems.

“Milmeq has an outstanding record of taking food products through the whole processing chain. Having engaged Milmeq in the design phase of this facility, we have been delighted by the expertise and experience they bring to delivering results.”

The Livingstone Valley facility will be capable of processing 220,000 cattle per year, ending the current need to truck stock long distances to eastern and southern plants for processing.

The facility is scheduled for completion in mid- to late-2014.