24 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Wellington: Taylor Preston Labour shortages costly for meat processor Staff shortages led to butchers and processing staff being reallocated to cuts and grades that provide the most value. Sue Russell KAM Transport specialises in the Transportation and Cold Storage. Over the years it has grown from strength to strength in what the client wants to service its business. Our skilled team of professional drivers and modern fleet of vehicles will ensure your products are safely delivered on time and within the strictest food safetey guidelines. With over 30 years experience in logistics, you’re in safe hands! Call the team today. North Island 04 472 5802 South Island 03 573 8232 MPI Registered: KAM1989 Export lamb and beef processing business Taylor Preston Ltd was established back in 1991, when three families decided to join together to create the company. The Taylor and Grace families had been farming in the greater Wellington region for 150 years, while the Preston’s were a well-established, century old butchery. Taylor Preston’s processing plant is located at 131 Centennial Highway, Ngauranga. Today, led by CEO Simon Gatenby, the company also includes a number of private shareholders. Business Central spoke with Simon as the beginnings of Spring was just around the corner. “Winter is our low season from an employment point of view with 520 staff. At peak we need 750 to completely run all processing fully,” Simon says. And that peak time extends over several months, November through May, processing lamb and beef sourced from the Wairarapa, Manawatu, Rangitikei, Southern Hawke’s Bay and South Island. Stock is slaughtered using Halal approved processes that meet all animal welfare standards, and all stock processed is 100% grass-fed, something Simon says, consumers overseas recognise and value. With labour shortages being experienced throughout the sector, Taylor Preston is experiencing similar challenges to most processing facilities. “We have had to reallocate our butchers and processing staff to those cuts and grades that provide the most value. In the last 12 months it would be fair to say we’ve lost, in potential sales, upward of $10,000,000 in lower-value products that we have ceased to process, which is a real tragedy.” And while those employed may fall into the manual labour category, Simon says, there are many tremendously skilled staff, who produce a first-rate product day in day out. “We are an employer who will take entry-level people, just as long as they have a good work ethic and can put in the hours. There’s plenty of opportunity within our structure for professional development into more skilled and managerial roles in time.” Part-time staff, and even parents looking for work between 9 am and 2.30 pm would find a place at Taylor Preston Ltd. The company is working closely with WINZ and using facebook and other social media methods to get the word out that there is plenty of work to be had at this time. “We also work with lots of groups such as Limited Service Volunteers and we’re supporting the Corrections Department with returnto-work programmes. We’ve always had some really good employees from this area.” Meat is second only to Dairy in terms of export sales values in New Zealand and Simon says the whole sector is working hard to promote careers in meat processing as a good, viable career choice, with very good working conditions, including remuneration and benefits. Supporting supply of stock is a team of livestock buyers, who negotiate with supplier farmers. Each Friday, Taylor Preston releases its Meat Schedule; the value it will pay per kg for meat from its suppliers. “We operate in two distinct worlds as export meat processors. There’s what we pay our farmers and then there’s what we receive for the product when exported. The two don’t relate closely at all.” These days 35% of the companies meat export is destined for Halal markets. Given this, all stock are slaughtered using Halal practices. Last year a new cold-store was commissioned and upgrades are continually occurring within the plant. “We’re generally happy with the size and scale we’re operating to as a single site entity ensuring the best use of all space is a priority. We’ll be replacing conveyor belts soon.” When operating at peak, two shoulder shifts working for 9 ½ hour each process the stock. The economic impact of the company within the region is significant. Five years ago, the company commissioned research to quantify its value to the local employment sector. “We discovered that for every job at Taylor Preston we were supporting 4.5 FTE’s in the region; both upstream and down. That’s pretty significant!” Taylor Preston is Wellington’s biggest manufacturing employer. A recruitment officer works full-time and engages with schools. “We’ve also been pushing the benefits that come in terms of apprenticeships we offer and we’ve had some steady uptake for people wishing to undertake an adult apprenticeship.”
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