26 | WWM poised to reach 100 million bottles p/a WineWorks Marlborough is located at Blenheim’s Riverlands Industrial Estate, with about 60% of New Zealand wine made in wineries within two kilometres of the site. Marlborough: WineWorks Marlborough T T Richard Loader REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT WineWorks Marlborough’s (WWM) bottling production has grown by 25% in the last year, and this year will achieve one hundred million bottles per annum. Offering the high level of experience and expertise required to package the New Zealand wine industry for the world market, the Marlborough facility is predominantly focused on still wine, but provides Sparkling and Charmat wine services at the company’s Hawke’s Bay facility. Driving the company’s growth has been a large 2022 vintage, increasing wine exports into the USA, the impact of the Ukraine/Russia conflict on glass production, and a flow on effect from shipping congestion caused by the Covid pandemic. WWM General Manager Damien Gillman says as a result of shipping congestion, particularly into the West Coast of the United States, some US clients decided to package (bottle) their wine in New Zealand rather than ship bulk wine in large volume bladders, as they would traditionally do. This change enabled the bottled wine to be shipped into different ports around the United States and get it onto shop shelves and into consumer hands quicker. The European energy crisis resulting from the Ukraine/Russia conflict has affected glass supply, resulting in WineWorks seeing increased interest in glass packaging. “The cost of producing packaged wine is increasing, it is just a question whether it is increasing more in the Northern hemisphere versus the Southern hemisphere. We’ve been asked by a few historical bulk wine buyers to package their wine in New Zealand however at this stage we’re keeping any bottling capacity we have for our loyal clients that traditionally bottle with us in New Zealand.” To meet its growth WWM has needed to employ more people, which Damien says has been incredibly challenging over the last few years. “The recent changes to immigration rules have alleviated the problem by letting more people travelling on holiday visas into New Zealand. We rely on these people who come to New Zealand to work for a year or so and see our country. “We’re also moving part of our warehouse and distribution operation to a twenty-four hour/seven day a week coverage, requiring an extra twenty people to be recruited to fill these positions. Immigration New Zealand is now allowing us to look for suitably skilled people from outside of New Zealand if we can prove that we have thoroughly looked within the country for available people. It’s costly and time consuming but at least it gives us some options in order to grow our business as the New Zealand wine industry grows.” Operating purpose-built wine bottling, warehousing and distribution facilities in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland, WineWorks is in a committed partnership with New Zealand wine. Damien says the company exists to service and be a high-quality provider for the New Zealand wine industry. “We transport our clients’ wine from their wineries to our facility, bottle it, store it in our warehouses and then dispatch it to domestic distributors and retailers throughout New Zealand. ”Working in conjunction with Port Nelson’s distribution logistics company, QuayConnect, WWM also exports its clients’ wine to whatever destination is required around the world. WWM is perfectly located at Blenheim’s Riverlands Industrial Estate, with about 60% of New Zealand wine made in wineries within two kilometres of the site. Marlborough encompasses 29,000 hectares of vineyards and while WWM’s catchment is predominantly Marlborough, it also receives some wine from Central Otago, North Canterbury and a little from Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay for consolidation. WineWorks sources and buys in most of the generic packaging needed so that its clients don’t have to, adding to the company’s objective of being a one-stop-shop for the wineries. “The client chooses what they want to put their wine into and in New Zealand there are predominantly two glass bottle suppliers – Visy Glass in Auckland and Chandler Glass and Packaging.” N P Happy to support Wineworks Nelson Packaging are specialists for sourcing and supplying your business’s packaging needs. From large commercial operations to retail and small business, Nelson Packaging can assist you. (03) 548 5459 www.nelpack.co.nz 10 Merton Place, Stoke, Nelson TRUSTED PARTNER OF WINEWORKS LTD Providing Wineworks with quality corrugated packaging, made from NZ renewable, sustainably harvested forestry and recycled wood fibre. 2 Establishment Drive, PO Box 16174 Hornby, Christchurch (+64 3 349 4434) OjiFS Packaging Southern
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