The district’s GDP grew by 0.2 per cent while Canterbury’s shrunk by -1.3 per cent as did New Zealand at -0.4%.
28 July 10
In a bid to centralise and consolidate its operations, one of New Zealand's largest seed producing companies is constructing a new 4,500m2 facility in the Izone Southern Business Hub, south of Christchurch.
Agriseeds is a plant breeding and research company specialising in forage pastures, based on a 220ha research farm near Courtenay in inland Canterbury. With 44 employees it supplies the New Zealand market and exports produce to Australia, South America and South Africa.
Agriseeds chief executive Murray Willocks says the company recognised the need to locate a purpose-built building central to Agriseeds’ operations in Canterbury several years ago. Previously the dry storage, cool storage, and seed coating facilities were in separate locations throughout Mid Canterbury.
“It led to situations where seed stored in Methven was being trucked to Ashburton for seed coating and if there was no room in our Ashburton storage facility we’d have to truck it back to Methven,” said Mr Willocks.
Agriseeds investigated several greenfield sites in Christchurch, Ashburton and Rolleston but chose Izone because it is central to Agriseeds’ operations and near the company’s seed cleaning facility. Being located on State Highway One was also critical given the product is transported by truck to both the North Island and the Port of Lyttelton.
“Given it’s our largest investment in infrastructure for some time, we’ve made sure the building can accommodate future growth and is on a site (1.4 hectares) that’s big enough to allow for expansion.
Murray Willocks says the move will create an extra four jobs and existing staff will move into the new facility when it opens in November.
For more information please contact:
Murray Willocks, chief executive, Agriseeds, ph (03) 318 8514 or 021 617 930
or,
Robin Hughes, director, RD Hughes Developments Ltd, ph (03) 379 2609
Editor’s notes:
Izone was developed by the Selwyn District Council in a bid to provide local jobs for Selwyn residents, to ensure the majority of industrial development in the district was kept to one location and to reduce the number of people commuting to Christchurch for work.
In the space of ten years Izone has transformed from a dry-land farm into a $60 million dollar industrial estate containing 25 companies employing over 430 people. To date around 90 hectares of Izone has been developed, construction of the remaining stages will begin as demand requires.
To date 2010 has been a big year for Izone: Westland Milk Products opened its facility in April; PGG Wrightson Seeds is currently moving into its new facility; Austin Pipes, AgriSeeds and another as yet unnamed company are in the process of building new facilities; and Café Izone and the Izone Information Centre opened in May.
Izone’s success has helped the Selwyn District become the fastest growing territorial authority in the country. In Rolleston this year a new primary school was opened, the town’s shopping centre is currently being expanded and next year a swimming pool and a larger police station will be built. The wider Selwyn District is also prospering with the announcement by Fonterra and Synlait of major plant investments in the district.