Fonterra will close a number of ageing plants at two Waikato sites in an effort to optimize operations. Fonterra’s Waitoa PDC, a coal centre and two dryers in Te Rapa are no longer efficient to operate and will close later this year.   

 The Te Rapa driers will close in May but Fonterra will continue to operate a specialty nutrition dryer and UHT plant with staff expected to be redeployed on site.

Director of New Zealand manufacturing Alan Van Der Nagel said the closures will ensure Fonterra’s resources are geared towards high value products.