K700mil complex for GFI

By JACINTA COHLEE
GOODMAN Fielder International (GFI) is investing more than K700 million in an integrated manufacturing complex at 11-Mile in Lae, says managing director Sun Xing Tao.
“Over time, this will result in additional roles being created when this site becomes fully operational and is at full capacity,” Sun said.
Meanwhile, the company explained in a statement that it was implementing changes to its operating business model in Papua New Guinea.
“The changes support our ongoing commitment to consumers in PNG and underpin the country’s self-sufficiency for essential food supply,” it said.
It added that it was revising its operating business model to address rising costs, resulting in a restructure process to right size the commercial function of the business.
“This has resulted in some employees being made redundant.
“We understand the impact these changes have on our employees and our priority is to ensure they are supported through this process.
“This includes redundancy payments above legislated requirements.”
A staff member claimed that the company management should have followed the accepted redundancy process.
“We have school fee commitments, bank loans, rentals and other commitments to meet,” the staff member said.
“This was not considered when they just terminated our employment.”
Meanwhile, Wilmar International Limited, the owner of Goodman Fielder, is partnering with the government in venturing into commercial large-scale rice farming and chicken production.
For rice production, it is partnering with Rigo Rice to establish the first national rice company in PNG to replace the K900 million worth of rice imported annually.