Weddel’s World 1984 – June

Weddel’s World

WESTFIELD
TOMOANA
KAITI – in conjunction with Gisborne Sheepfarmers Freezing Co. NZ

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

ISSUED BY
W.& R. FLETCHER (N.Z.) LTD

JUNE, 1984

A hundred years symbolised

It is 100 years since the first shipment of frozen meat left the Port of Napier.

To mark the occasion, that first train trip from the Tomoana freezing works was re-enacted with a symbolic load of 100 carcases. Tomoana’s Bagnell steam locomotive (pictured above) came out of retirement for the day, to make the journey once again.

About 100 passengers made the trip in vintage carriages, including the works’ General Manager, Mr Michael Sanders and Hawke’s Bay Harbour Board Chairman, Mr Jack Tucker.

A distinguished passenger who said she was “really amazed at the number of people who stopped along the main highway to watch the train”, was Mrs Janet Dodd, 76, the granddaughter of Tomoana’s founder, William Nelson.

With a stop for water at Clive, the 17-kilometre trip took 2½ hours, and on arrival, the frozen lamb carcases were loaded by hand, as meat was for the first shipment a century ago. They were later further processed at the works and donated to charity.

About 6000 people visited the port during the open day, and rides on the Bagnell were very popular with sightseers, raising money for handicapped children in the city.

Inside . . .

The Tomoana works has come a long way since that first export shipment, as have W&R Fletcher’s entire operations. This issue, “Weddel’s World ” features an interview which looks at those operations from the British viewpoint. And, as usual, keeps associate companies, customers and staff informed of industry and company news.

Support goes to the dogs

Television New Zealand’s long-running rural programme . . . A Dog’s Show”, is being sponsored by New Zealand Stockfoods Co. this year.

The extremely popular programme brings dog trialling, one of New Zealand’s major rural sports, off the farm and into homes nationwide.

The company sees the sponsorship as a service to the farming community, by enabling it to be held and televised. As well, while New Zealand Stockfoods’ products, especially Tomoana Stockfoods, Denkavit Milk Replacers and Rumevite Salt Blocks, are well known to farmers, the sponsorship will highlight the fact that they are produced by the same company, through credit lines and advertising accompanying commercial trailers during the week.

The eight programmes in the series were filmed at Linton, near Palmerston North, this year and will, as usual, feature both Huntaway and Doubles competition.

Pictured above: Competitor, Eion Herbert, a shepherd for six years, knows this is a critical moment as his dog gets an unruly sheep under control.

Casings (cont.)

W&R Fletcher’s Group Casings Manager, Mr Laurie Edwards agreed, adding that an influencing factor in the market will be the Northern Hemisphere’s summer. A good summer, with more light meals, could result in an even stronger demand for sausage casings and prices could move.

Revision

W&R Fletcher’s production is well received in all markets and Mr Edwards said this has been due in part to a recent revision of products’ specifications. This was done to ascertain whether the customer is receiving what he really wants, and has created a stronger demand and marketing stance.

He also said the company’s policy of “tubing” 66 percent of the total lamb production adds value and provides customers with “ready to use” material, packaged in a way that suits their needs, increasing the products’ marketability even further.

Westfield competitive locally with new wholesale office

W&R Fletcher has captured an important share of the local Auckland wholesale meat market with the successful establishment of a new trading office.

Known as the Westfield Wholesale Trade Division, the office in Auckland has been trading since February and is already proving itself in the fiercely competitive Auckland market.

Manager, Mr Mark Hobbs, previously of the Export Sales Department in Wellington, said however, that supplies from the works must be maintained to ensure the office has enough stock to stay in business.

The division supplies top quality, export graded vacuum packed fresh beef, as well as fancy meats, to wholesalers and distributers [distributors] for local consumption, under a Westfield brand.

“Before we set up, the supply from other sources to Auckland wholesalers wasn’t nearly sufficient. There was a real need for large volumes of top quality produce to be made available. We followed the successful example set by Tomoana division in Hawke’s Bay and provided that service,” Mr Hobbs said.

The trading division was created within the Westfield Freezing Company and relies on its facilities for packing.

The product is transferred daily from Westfield to a chiller at Managere, [Mangere] which provides the wholesale division with a central distribution centre and allows greater flexibility for supply to wholesalers.

Stockfoods combats copper low

YET another highly successful product has been introduced on to the market by the New Zealand Stockfoods Company Ltd.

General Manager, Mr Munro McLennan, said sales of the Tomoana Copper Block, released in the South Island in late February, have been exceptionally good.

He expected a similar response to follow its recent release in the North Island, saying the product had been very well accepted by farmers.

N. American head changes

W&R Fletcher’s North American interests are well served by another Vestey subsidiary company, Tupman Thurlow Co., headed by President, Mr David Jackson.

Mr Jackson has been the company’s chief executive since, Mr John Ward, a man widely known and highly respected by the industry in New Zealand and throughout the world, retired six months ago.

Mr Ward, President from 1965, was a founder-member and President of the Canned Meat Importers Association of America. As well, he was a founder-member of the Meat Importers Council of America and its Chairman from 1969 to 1973.

His successor, Mr Jackson, also began his career with Union International in the UK. before joining the Malayan Refrigerating Company in Singapore.

After almost three years there, he was posted as Manager to the Hong Kong Refrigerating Co. In 1968, he returned to the U. K. and until 1970, was Manager of the Far East/Central Africa Department in London.

His first association with Tupman Thurlow was in 1970, as Manager of the Fish Division in New York. Six years later, he was appointed President of Weddel Montreal, Canada and in late 1983, returned to the States to take up his present position.

APPOINTMENT

Gisborne Refrigerating Company Ltd appointed a new Company Secretary, Mr John Walker, early last month. He was previously in forestry administration with Fletcher Challenge Ltd.

SECONDMENTS

Welcome to Andrew McNab and Jim Bennett, in New Zealand from the United Kingdom for four and six months respectively. Both are here to familiarise themselves with New Zealand’s operations: Andrew McNab at Westfield, Tomoana and Wellington; Jim Bennett at the Auckland Meat Company, Kaiti, and Wellington.

Welcome also to Stuart Clark, also from the United Kingdom, in New Zealand for the next two to three years.

Prior to joining Weddel in Bradford just recently, Stuart spent about eight years in the British wool industry, and on his return to the U. K. will have an extensive background knowledge of New Zealand’s operations.

At right: Trevor Tricklebank (right) presents Bill’s 25-year Gold Star.

Westfield GM. retires

General Manager of the Westfield Freezing Company for the past nine years, Mr Gordon Taylor, has retired, ending an association of nearly 34 years and service in both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

He is currently on holiday in the U.K. visiting family, but will no doubt be glad to return to Auckland and his garden. An avid gardener, Mr Taylor is known for his success with tomatoes.

He began his career in accounting, while serving from 1949 to 1951 as a corporal in the Royal Air Force. On demobilisation he joined Union International and worked in the accounting and audit sections. He was then based in Nottingham as the accountant for Roberts Windsor Ltd, from 1954.

In early 1967, Mr Taylor immigrated to New Zealand to work as assistant accountant to Mr Scott at W & R Fletcher’s Head Office in Wellington. Two years later, he spent 18 months at Tomoana, first as Assistant General Manager and then as Manager.

It was in 1975 that he transferred to Westfield as General Manager, a position he held until his retirement in May.

General Manager of Westfield for nine years, Mr Gordon Taylor.

Gold Star awarded

About 150 people gathered at the Hastings Racecourse recently, to celebrate Station Officer, Bill Tieman’s 25 years’ service with the Tomoana Works’ Industrial Fire Brigade.

His gold star was presented by the Senior Vice-President of the United Fire Brigades Association, Chief Fire Officer, Trevor Tricklebank.

On being made an Honorary Life Member of the Tomoana Brigade, Bill received a medal from Chief Fire Officer, Syd Taylor, while Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Reg Unwin, presented a pair of silver goblets as a gift from its members.

As well, a past Chief Fire Officer, Lew [Lou] Jillings, representing the Wellington Gold Star Association, gave him the lapel badge and to Mrs Tieman, the gold star broach of the Association.

Finally, Tomoana’s General Manager, Mr Michael Sanders, made a presentation in recognition of Bill’s service to the company.

Mr Sanders also made several long service presentations to other members of the brigade: Neil Wood, a 31-year gold bar; Bill Johnston, an 11-year silver bar; Ken Hutchison, a nine-year silver bar; Garry Minton, a nine-year silver bar; Bryce Minton, and Neil McBride, seven-year silver bars; Robin Shortt, a three-year certificate.

Mystery worker retires after 50 years

“Who?” was the query by Westfield staff when the presentation of a gold watch for 50 years’ service was made to freezing worker, Ronald Allen Martin.

The confusion arose because his workmates have always known him as “Major”.

It was cleared up when W&R Fletcher’s Assistant General Manager, Mr Brian Browne, who made the presentation at Major’s farewell, explained that it was a name Mr Martin acquired after he was sent to Waikeria Borstal, during the war years, like many of the mutton butchers, for a sit-in strike at the works.

When the men were released without conviction, Major was placed in the Army. But it was nine months before the Army realised that R.A. Martin, who was appealed for by the works, and Major Martin, were the same person.

He missed being shipped overseas by three days and after much sweating, was a very happy man to return to the mutton chain.

He remembers too, that in the old days of seasonal work, he spent most of his time with the yard gang helping to dig and lay the foundations for the present mutton floor dining room and constructing the railway line into the works.

Above: W&R Fletcher’s Assistant General Manager, Mr Brian Browne, presents Major with his gold watch. Below: Major is pictured (centre) with workmates (from left) – mutton butchers, Rua Katia and Sam Repene; stockyards’ Eddie Walker; – mutton butchers, Charlie Bowman, Ernie Broderick and Micky Amanaki; Beef Foreman, Jack Mills.