Australia's largest potato packing facility has been opened in the Mallee this week.
Pye Group officially unveiled the $45 million 15,000 square metre warehouse, based at Parilla, on Tuesday, with it set to double the production capacity from 22 tonne an hour to 45t/h, as well as increase quality control and reduce waste.
Pye Group director Mark Pye said the multi-million project, which had taken 18 months to complete, was a critical investment for its brands Parilla Premium Potatoes and Zerella Fresh as demand soared in recent months.
"We have always invested in the best technology, equipment and facilities to ensure we're producing, packing and selling the best quality products in the most efficient and sustainable ways," he said.
"Not only are we creating jobs and building livelihoods for more than 25 families in the Mallee region, but we're also cutting emissions by reducing the number of B-Double trucks on the road, creating faster delivery times for our customers and producing A-grade quality, great tasting potatoes - one of the most versatile and affordable ingredients for everyday Australians."
Mr Pye said the project, which received a $2m grant from the state government's Regional Growth Fund in 2020, involved machinery engineers from Europe being on-site, then, throughout the pandemic, operating remotely at all hours of the night to guide the installation process.
"Our production facilities and harvesting crops located at Parilla complement our existing site at Virginia, which means that we're able to have greater touch points across the state for greater supply and access for our national retailers," he said.
"The efforts from our staff have also been critical to the delivery of this project."
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The Pye Group employs more than 350 people and, in recent months, has overseen the construction of 27 Selecta homes to provide accommodation for the site's workers and their families in the region.
"This state-of-the-art facility will lead our stable of brands for the foreseeable future and we're excited at the opportunity that this new facility will bring for everyone involved," he said.
