Big change at processor
Western Meat Packers Group has made critical management changes aimed to create a world-renowned brand.
It has pinned hopes on former JBS Australia plant manager Jason Spencer to apply a fresh lick of paint to the 35-year-old company, with a view to further increasing the profile of its Margaret River Brand in both local and world markets.
Mr Spencer has also held management and operations roles with Inghams in Victoria.
The Osborne Park facility currently processes about 400 head of cattle a day and employs 150 people. Plans are in place to substantially lift that number and to possibly bone and pack at Margaret River to optimise expanding business opportunities in Asia in particular.
In his most recent role with JBS, Mr Spencer was responsible for continual daily plant improvement with staff levels of up to 1000. His task was to ensure facilities under his control achieved their performance indicators efficiently and safely.
As part of the shake-up, Lui Rinaldi joins as special projects manager, Ettiene Snyman as boning room manager, Rinda Ho as quality assurance manager, Bill Wong as information technology manager and Jim McGuckin as maintenance manager.
Earlier this year group founder Rod Russell took full control of the company by buying out other family members. He announced plans to expand the company’s Margaret River facility’s output to 570 head of cattle a day.
Under the plan to expand the Margaret River facility, the site will be bolstered with chiller capacity upgrades and other fit-outs to accommodate developing export market prospects.
Mr Spencer said he had been appointed with a mandate to improve “good” management systems to “great” systems.
“JBS taught me the latest and most cutting-edge safety and quality systems, which I intend to use to inform my decision-making in my new role at WMPG,” he said.
“We have a five-year plan to develop our Margaret River brand, which will start at our Perth-based facilities and then move to an even more sophisticated level at our conceptual state-of-the-art Margaret River plant in the future.”
WMPG boss Andrew Fuda said the latest appointments recognised the company was on a path of continuous improvement.
“The investment is also about our commitment to offering export and domestic customers a better-than-ever product, backed up by better- than-ever service,” he said.
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