THE LOCKYER

VALLEY

ACN: 163 154 238

A proposal to build a beetroot and vegetable

processing plant in the Lockyer Valley,

Queensland

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council has made land

available for the project to the east of Gatton town

site. It is well situated just off the Warrego Highway.

All services including gas are within the precinct. The

land is located above any recorded flood levels, as

well as the site access roads which connect to the

Warrego Highway, this highway is generally not

affected for extended periods by flooding.

Australia has been losing its food manufacturing businesses

to overseas locations on the mistaken view that our labour

costs are too high and that they are the cause of the

problem. Research by the proponent shows, that this is not

the whole picture.

When drilling down into the operation of these plants, it can

be seen that essentially they have all be allowed to

deteriorate to a point where the plant is not running

efficiently when compared with modern plants installed in

competitor countries.

With the construction of this plant the proponent

hope to demonstrate that a well-designed efficient

factory can fulfil the goal of being the lowest cost

supplier with the added advantage of knowing that

the produce itself has been grown under ideal,

healthy conditions and packaged in the most hygienic

and efficient plant available. New preservation

processes will also ensure the preservation of as many

of the healthy micronutrients as possible.

General Description

The plant is to be architecturally designed to deliver a modern industrial

building compatible with its surroundings and in accordance with the Lockyer

Valley Regional Council Planning Guidelines.

The building will be of tilt slab construction and will enclose 6000 square

meters of processing and storage areas.

Modern offices, staff amenities and training rooms are also included.

Provision is being made to expand the plant in the future to meet demand,

without disrupting the existing plant operations.

Processing steam and services can be added to, without the necessity to close

the plant or rebuild existing expensive steam and services installations.

The general amenity for the staff at the facility will be that of a bright modern

factory with all of the expected staff amenities.

The environment within the processing area will be designed for maximum

staff comfort and to provide the optimum conditions to preserve the

vegetables in their freshest condition. This will continue the process begun

by chilling the vegetables on receivals to remove “field heat” by keeping the

general processing area at 20 C and higher humidity.

Land scaping, appropriate colours and modern signage will further

emphasize the impression of a modern cutting edge facility.

Produce receivals are designed to be drive through in order to isolate heavy

vehicles from the working precinct.

Our program addresses:

Bulk Handling

Produce Tracking

5.3. Integrated Farmer Operations

Field Heat

RFID tracking

Scanning Technology for Size Grading

Recycling Scrubbing Water

Ultra violet sterilisation and chemical destruction

Scrubbing root vegetables

Excess produce to cool room preservation

Compressed air cool room loading system

RFID Tracking

Cold room ethylene capture

Positive air movement through produce

Humidity and temperature control

Canning

Cans sizes being considered are 425 grams, 850 grams and 3.0

litre catering cans.

• Products to be considered for canning at this stage are beetroot

slices, beetroot wedges, baby beetroots and beetroot cubes,

sweet corn kernels, creamed sweet corn and possibly baby

sweet corn, as well as baby whole peeled potatoes.

• Initial production of all canned products is planned for twenty

two million cans per annum.

• Advanced cooking retort technology

• PET Bottles

• Pouches

• Whole, slices and wedges

• Ready to Eat Fresh Packaging

• Utilisation of Waste Vegetable Solids

• Stock Feed

• Gassified Bio Waste as Boiler Fuel

• UTILISATION OF LIQUID WASTE

• Sludge to Organic Fertiliser

• Liquid residue as Organic Fertiliser

Burn Natural Gas and Bio Methane in Gas Engines to

Generate Electricity

In order to contain energy costs, minimise the

process waste stream and minimise energy outage

risks the proponents plan to address the issues by

using several layers of response to the risks.

• Waste Heat from Engines generates Process Steam

• Waste Heat from Steam to Run Absorption Chiller’s

The building will be architecturally designed and

constructed of tilt slab concrete with an insulated

metal roof.

Included in the project will be a Food Innovation and

Instruction Centre which has been supported by the

Lockyer Regional Council

Best confirmed estimates are that up to 50 - 75extra jobs will be created which are directly relatedto the project.

• Many more people will also gainemployment benefit to a lesser degree bythe increased economic activity which theproject will generate.

• Several related studies at other study sites,show an employment multiplier of 1.55 forthe extended workforce in the surroundingareas.

The proponent seeks to engage in discussion with its potential partner/s to determine the best way forward.

Crucial to funding and or for going to the market place for support, will be:

1. Agreed minimum supply volumes secured by contract for 10 years with an option to renew;

2. Minimum three year, ‘ex plant/delivered prices’ designed to ensure a profitable plant, with sufficient returns to attract investors and ensure funds for continuing development, reinvestment and innovation are obtained:

3. The right/ability for the company to develop and market is own branded beetroot with its partner’s support and approval.