A $90 million upgrade is planned for the Purina PetCare pet food factory in Blayney, New South Wales, Nestlé Australia announced.
The site also manufactures Proplan, Supercoat, Felix, Fancy Feast and Purina One.
The upgrade will extend existing production areas, install new equipment and allow for increased production capacity and export growth, the company said. It brings total investment at the site to almost $200 million in the past 10 years.
Nestlé Blayney factory manager Andrew Devlin said the investment reflects the company’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing.
“The upgrade is estimated to take about 18 months, during which we estimate there will be 100 construction, installation and commissioning jobs here on site, with an estimated $10 million of civil works planned.
“Increased production capacity will also help us to boost our local and export volumes. More than $45 million of pet food left Blayney for export last year, including to Japan, New Zealand and Thailand.”
The upgrade will also see an increase in the use of local ingredients as production grows. More than 80 per cent of raw materials used at the factory are locally sourced, including meat and grains, Devlin said.
The factory opened in 1989, employs more than 280 staff and supports more than 60 local businesses and contractors in western New South Wales, Nestlé said.