New regional cold store: a warming development

Upgrades to John Dee's existing abattoir in Warwick are underway after a ceremonial sod-turning.

Wiley has been engaged by John Dee to complete the design and delivery of its regional cold store and automated storage retrieval system (ASRS) facility expansion.

Agriculture minister David Littleproud (also the MP for Maranoa) and Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) mayor Tracy Dobie joined with the John Dee leadership team and Wiley representatives at the site as work gets underway.

The facility will let John Dee reduce operational costs, expand storage capacity, increase product sorting capabilities and secure the future of the local, family-owned business.

Funding for the expansion came through the federal government’s Building Better Regions Fund. According to the minister, the project will protects the existing 630 jobs and creates 143 new full-time jobs and 138 indirect new full-time jobs.

“Securing $4.8 million for this facility will help bolster employment opportunities in our region. Export opportunities from this development will come to about $111 million,” Littleproud said.

Tracy Dobie said with John Dee as one of the region’s largest employers, its expansion shows “great confidence in the future of the local livestock industry. This is a positive step forward as the Southern Downs continues to grow and prosper”.

One of the reasons John Dee selected Wiley to deliver the project was its ability to complete the work with minimal impact to production in an operating plant. The facility solution will be fit for the purposes of storage, sortation and retrieval.

Wiley COO Robert Barron said the company was excited to work on a project that would boost the economy and local jobs during construction and into the future. It would be looking for up to 80 workers during construction, using local subcontractors and suppliers, Barron said.

The works will be completed this year.