Wiley to upgrade GrainCorp's oils and spreads plant

Wiley has been selected to expand and upgrade GrainCorp Foods’ West Footscray plant. The upgraded facility will give the company extra capability, including retail spreads, bakery fats and shortenings.

GrainCorp has launched the project as part of a wider initiative by GrainCorp Oils to integrate its edible oils and spreads manufacturing operations. The initiative will increase overall competitiveness and reduce carbon emissions by around 25,000 tonnes each year.

GrainCorp Foods will relocate its processing and packing operation from Murrarie, Queensland, to the Footscray site. GrainCorp Oilseeds’ operations in Numurkah, Victoria, will also be relocated to the Footscray site. These operations will also be expanded and upgraded to accommodate the additional capacity.

These changes will reduce the trucking distance of the final product by 550,000 kilometres each year to customers based in Melbourne and Sydney.

L-R: Frank Koot, BECA; David Burton Bradley, Wiley; Ian Gahan, Wiley; Brendan Barfoot, Wiley; Trevor Somerville, Wiley; Josh Jeffrey, GrainCorp.

“GrainCorp’s West Footscray upgrade is a vital piece of the wider integration project, which will significantly reduce operational costs and boost the competitiveness of locally produced food and food ingredients against imported products,” said Wiley Managing Director Tom Wiley.

“A major outcome of the project will be improving environmental performance by reducing carbon emissions by around 25,000 tonnes per year, thanks to the disuse of coal-fired equipment currently used to generate steam at the Murrarie plant,” added Wiley Business Operations Director Simon Spittle.

“GrainCorp’s investment in its West Footscray and Numurkah sites will eliminate the need for the coal-fired equipment, providing GrainCorp with the opportunity to invest in more efficient and environmentally sustainable technology.”