Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson has formally re-opened the world’s largest wool processing facility, in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment.
The re-opening of the facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20% of global strong wool production, Patterson said.
“The refurbished facility will bolster New Zealand’s wool scouring capacity and capability, contributing to the local and wider economy and growing our wool sector.”
Woolworks’ Awatoto scouring facility is the largest of its kind in the world. Woolworks scours 80% or 100 million kilograms of New Zealand’s wool each year; the Awatoto facility alone scours more than half of New Zealand’s wool.
At the opening, Patterson said he is hosting key industry leaders from NZ’s largest export markets, including delegates from International Wool Textile Organisation Congress.
This presents an opportunity to build and strengthen connections across the global wool supply chain, promote wool, and help open doors for NZ wool businesses.
“This, along with the woolshed meetings we’re holding across New Zealand, are part of the government’s commitment towards supporting the success of the food and fibre sector, including New Zealand wool businesses.”
The $50m rebuild follows extensive damage to the site from flooding and silt caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023.
