Dairy products future for Hansells

NEW START: Hansell's employees, shareholders, and contractors gather in the new area opened for processing dairy products. PHOTO/EMILY NORMAN

Hansells Masterton opened a new area for processing dairy products on Monday, expanding their business growth potential.

Executive Chairman Alan Stewart said this was "a big step to ensure the future" of Hansells Masterton, after a decline in market shares last year because of "aging products".

"To grow the business it became obvious we needed to get into processing products containing milk powder for export," he said.

"Here we can pack milk powder and manufacture and pack an array of products including ice cream powder, yoghurt mix, protein packs, flavoured milk and other milk products."

In the centre of the new production area is a V-shaped stainless steel tumbling mixer that will be used to process the dairy products.

The whole production area cost under $1 million.

Hansells Engineer Robin Shaw said everyone involved in the project had worked well together.

"Quite a few contractors and locals were involved, from painters, to floor layers, and all sorts of tradies have been in," he said.

"And if this all takes off the way we hope it will, it should really be a bright future for Hansells."

Mr Stewart said Masterton's Hansells have already shipped a 40ft container of yoghurt mix powder to Italy with prospects for other countries.

"We got underway with our limited facilities and have already sent half a million dollars worth of products to China and expect to be regularly shipping 40ft containers of dairy products to China in the New Year using these facilities."

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson was at the opening and said she was pleased Hansells was expanding.

"It just shows that our local businesses are innovative, and are looking at different markets and different ways to get ahead. And that's so important for our community because so many people are employed here."