20 | Talk to us today, the feature profile experts Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz PROFILE YOUR PROJECT... REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Port Waikato: Cobb Vantress Securing global supply from page 18 The company’s aim is to be a positive part of the community. Providing our clients with a hassle-free service that responsibly transforms landscapes to create and deliver valuable places for people to live, work & play. Planning Surveying Engineering Project Management 09 238 9991 www.subdivision.co.nz Proudly supporting Cobb-Vantress The company also pays penal rates for weekend work. “This is the base/minimum wage all our employees are paid but of course many are paid far more than this. It means anyone who starts with us with zero experience can earn a good living,” says Jimmy. “Our aim is to be a positive part of the community and one of our core values is family. We value our employees as family and this means a focus on really looking after them.” This has also seen significant investment made in artificial intelligence in the facility to enable a safe and easier working environment for staff. Examples are automated breeding egg collection, automatic sweepers and a move to automated washing of equipment. Jimmy says the hatchery is the most automated in New Zealand. As a major employer in the region Cobb Vantress has worked closely with local iwi to identify opportunities for people to work in the facility. This has led to assisting staff to complete PITO courses and currently 60 staff is working their way through the qualification. Once finished their wages will reflect the higher level of skill they bring to the operation, says Jimmy, as a direct reward for their hard work and effort. It’s a win-win with Cobb Vantress benefiting from more expertise in its workforce and employees gaining opportunities for career advancement. Cobb Vantress has recently partnered with Smart Waikato, a charitable trust that partners with iwi, business, education and government agencies to deliver a range of initiatives that better support rangatahi transitioning from education to employment. Cobb Vantress will offer opportunities to at local risk youth to gain work experience in its facility to give them a boost into the job market or further study. Jimmy has also met with the Māori King, Te Arikinui Tūheitia Paki, to discuss economic development strategies for the region. “Cobb Vantress New Zealand is growing, as sales into Asia and the Pacific increase. The success of our business is thanks to our team, many of which are Māori. We are actively working to hire more members of the community and hope they will continue to join the Cobb family,” says Jimmy. He says Cobb Vantress is heavily involved in a number of community initiatives including sponsorships of the local golf club. During the first lockdown the company purchased 25,000 eggs from its customers, who were struggling when suddenly markets dried up for their produce, and these were distributed to local families in need. Jimmy says that Cobb Vantress New Zealand is focusing on future growth opportunities in the Pacific. “We take our mission seriously: make quality protein accessible, healthy and affordable worldwide.”
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