ACM - New Milk Processing Plant for Girgarre
- By: "Farm Tender" News
- Regenerative Ag & Carbon Farming News
- Oct 31, 2017
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Milk processing will return to the former dairy town of Girgarre after an absence of almost four decades, following a decision by ACM to build a new multi-milliondollar factory.
The news has been welcomed by Girgarre residents who haven’t seen milk production in their town since Nestle´ shut the former Girgarre Cheese Factory site.
ACM plans to start work on the Curr Rd site in December, subject to planning approvals, with milk processing expected to start in September next year.
ACM chairman Michael Auld said the factory could employ up to 35 people and process about 100 million litres of milk in the first year.
Employment numbers could lift closer to 50 when cheesemaking production starts in the second year of operation and throughput increases to 200 million litres.
The company may recruit some experienced staff from the Rochester Murray Goulburn factory, which is shutting down soon.
Asked why the company didn’t buy an existing plant like Rochester, Mr Auld said the processing approach was different and the Girgarre plant would be built to provide maximum flexibility in handling different streams of milk.
The company, which has been recruiting organic dairy farmers recently, intends to install two spray dryers and a discrete processing system which will allow it to handle organic and non-organic processing concurrently.
ACM has purchased 10 ha of vacant land adjoining the old cheese factory site.
Mr Auld said the existing services, including gas, electricity and a water treatment system, made the site attractive and Girgarre’s location among dairy farms was also a strategic advantage.
Picture - The layout of the proposed new site
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