October 02, 2012
Sealord and Sanford team up to rescue mussel processor
Maori-owned Sealord and publicly-listed Sanford have bought North Island Mussel Processors’ failed Tauranga factory from its receivers.
With harvest season fast approaching, the companies say the move will mean that 20 full time and 200 casual staff will keep their jobs.
They have also folded their mussel farming businesses into the new 50-50 partnership.
Sealord chief executive Graham Stuart says the plant is important to the continued development of the Coromandel mussel fishery.
The plant underwent a $23 million upgrade in 2009 which included a world first automated mussel opening machine, but unexpected problems including barnacles on the mussels affected production.