The country's largest mussel processing factory in Greerton has been placed into receivership threatening 20 permanent and 200 seasonal jobs.
The $23million North Island Mussel Processing Plant in Glenlyon Avenue is jointly owned by Sanfords, Sealord and Greenshell.
Mussel factory general manager Steve Wells at the Greerton plant in 2010.
In a statement to the NZ Stock Exchange today joint venture partner Sanford Ltd's managing director Eric Baratt said the receivership is because Greenshell Investments failed to pay $1.2million in processing fees and associated debt.
Sanford and Sealord are working with the receivers to see if mussel processing will be available for the new processing season that will start mid-October.
NIMP made headlines in 2010 when it adopted the world's first automated mussel-opening machine at its Glenlyon Avenue plant, opened by Prime Minister John Key.
It is a tolling business that charges fees for processing mussels from its owners' farms.
The Companies Office shows Greenshell Investments Ltd with Aquaculture NZ Chairman Peter Vitasovich as the sole director.
He did not reply to calls from SunLive.
2 comments
Not supprised
Posted on 06-09-2012 10:08 | By philiphallen
Greenshell and Sanford hate paying their bills. NIMPL are not the only company in Tauranga that has failed because of late or refusal to pay outstanding money.
support for Sanford
Posted on 06-09-2012 14:08 | By RME
Ive contracted to Sanford for over 20 years and they have always paid me on time and very rarely questioned a bill, There is always two sides to a story
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