Ridley Corporation has broken ground and begun construction of its new aqua feed mill in Westbury, Tasmania.
Ridley’s Managing Director and CEO Tim Hart was on site to officially break the ground, together with Jeremy Rockliff MP, Deputy Premier of Tasmania, and the Meander Valley Council Mayor, Councillor Craig Perkins.
“This is the first new feed mill specifically built to service the Tasmanian salmon industry," stated Mr. Hart. "It will have the latest milling technology and will provide a platform for our customers that is globally cutting edge.”
Last year Ridley announced the plan to build the facility, which will manufacture and supply feed primarily to the Tasmanian salmon industry, as well as other aquaculture species on the mainland and in New Zealand.
Final Council approvals have been received, and the build phase is now under way to construct the 50,000 tonne feed mill.
“There have been a number of key people that helped get the project to this stage, and we are thankful we can now get on with construction of the feed mill which will enable us to service our customers effectively and efficiently here in Tasmania, on mainland Australia and abroad in New Zealand,” conclude Mr. Hart.
Ridley received $2 million in grant funding from the Tasmanian Government to support the project. Construction of the facility will require approximately 250 contractors, and once operational the mill will create approximately 20 full time permanent positions.
