Wiley helps GMP secure its future with $30m expansion

Gundagai Meat Processors (GMP) is a family-owned and -operated meat processing business. From an operation initially processing around 100 lambs per week, GMP has gone on to secure major supply contracts, including a 35-year supplier relationship with Coles, and processes more than 625,000 lambs annually, making it one of the largest employers in the region.

To prepare the company for the future, GMP has begun a $30 million expansion project which will lead to a 40% increase in annual production capacity and create 76 new full-time jobs over the next five years.

GMP has worked collaboratively with food manufacturing specialist Wiley in the detailed master planning exercise to ensure the company met its project objectives: to increase production; to ensure compliance with ongoing customer requirements (for export and for key client Coles Supermarkets); and to replace ageing infrastructure at the facility.

The expansion aims to put GMP at the cutting edge of lamb processing, including utilisation of the latest technology while exceeding the increasing compliance demands of the industry.

The delivery stage of the expansion project will touch almost every area of the meat processing facility, including the lairage, slaughter floor, offal areas, chillers, loadout, administration and amenities. With tricky interfaces, thorough planning has been crucial to ensure there is no loss in production levels during the construction phase. This will be achieved by a staged process and out-of-hours works during delivery.

GMP CEO Will Barton said the company’s investment would boost local spending by an estimated $3 million during the construction phase alone and generate ongoing stimulus to the local economy, estimated to be in excess of $150 million per year.

Wiley Managing Director Tom Wiley said the facility will incorporate new technology to futureproof the business, including full traceability of the lamb carcass, executed and tracked with RFID tags. Provisions have also been made for future X-ray (DEXA) capacity, which will enable GMP to understand the supply chain even further with yield insights.