The end of manufacturing at Ravensdown’s Dunedin site, in Ravensbourne, was described as “a really good step forward” for the future and the environment by a community leader.
Ravensdown chief operating officer Mike Whitty confirmed manufacturing at the site had officially ceased as of Wednesday.
It was now operating as a port store and distribution centre.
The decommissioning of the manufacturing plant would be an ongoing process through to the middle of the year, to ensure the site was safe and continued to be environmentally compliant, Mr Whitty said.
West Harbour Community Board and Ravensdown Community Liaison Group member Jarrod Hodson said the cessation of manufacturing at Ravensdown was “a really good step forward” for the future, and environmentally.
He understood the site’s chimney stacks would eventually be removed, which would be “quite a symbolic thing”.
“Some people think it’s fine, some people don’t … we’ve moved on to a new era where the manufacturing is just not taking place any more.”
There had undoubtedly been “massive improvements” made at the site over the past five to 10 years, but perceptions around its links to Ravensbourne still persisted, Mr Hodson said.
The Dunedin Fertiliser Works was opened in February 1931 by Dominion Fertiliser for the purpose of manufacturing sulphuric acid and superphosphate to support the farming areas of Otago and Southland.
Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack announced in September last year the company’s plans to cease manufacturing at the site by January and transition into a standalone port store and distribution centre.
At the time, Mr Diack said 30 jobs would be cut as a result of the manufacturing closure — 10 of which were required until the end of May to work on the site transition and decommissioning of the manufacturing plant.
He previously estimated the total number of staff employed at the site was about 60.
tim.scott@odt.co.nz
