Smithton Processing Plant Upgrade Completed

McCain Foods has completed the $37 million upgrade of its manufacturing plant in north-western Tasmania. The plant has now returned to seven-day production despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The food maker said in a statement that construction at the Smithton site had been in its final stages when the coronavirus pandemic first hit Australia. During the lockdown, international specialist engineering and construction staff had to suspend training their local staff and the project was delayed.

“The pandemic presented challenges for all of us – but the way our people adapted enabled us to keep production levels high and continue to fulfil our responsibility to supply food to our fellow Australians,” said Gordon Gillies, McCain Foods Smithton plant manager. “As a team, every person played a significant part in making the upgrade operational and getting production back on track.”

The investment saw the installation of a new fryer and batter applicator as the company makes Smithton its main retail production facility for Australia and New Zealand. The food giant also invested a further $6.4 million into resources, accommodation and ancillary spending across the Circular Head region.

McCain Foods workers at the Smithton plant.

“We are pleased to be upskilling our team with the new equipment and as well as expanding our permanent workforce – a demonstration of our going commitment to production in the region,” added Gillies.

In July, McCain Foods unveiled a renewable energy system at its Ballarat food-processing facility in western Victoria, cutting its carbon footprint by more than 27,000 tonnes per year.

McCain Foods is a Canadian company with global sales of CA$10 billion and a workforce of 22,000. It makes approximately a quarter of all frozen potato products in the world.