Construction has begun on Queensland’s biggest malting facility, the first to be built in the State for more than forty
Construction has begun on Queensland’s biggest malting facility, the first to be built in the State for more than forty years.
Barrett Burston Malting Company’s $80 million Pinkenba Maltings will create up to 20 new jobs, expand the market for barley growers and increase demand for Australian barley by 100,000 tonnes each year.
The plant will convert barley from Queensland and northern New South Wales into high quality brewing malt, with half supplied to Foster’s Yatala Brewery.
The other half will be exported through the Port of Brisbane to major brewers in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
This malt will be the main ingredient in all beers produced at Queensland’s biggest brewery – Yatala – including VB and Carlton Mid Strength.
Barrett Burston Malting Company President and CEO, Angelo Di Petta, says the opening of the plant represents a great opportunity for the Queensland economy.
“This project will put Queensland on the map when it comes to Australian barley production, with local growers soon having the opportunity to sell an additional 100,000 tonnes of malting barley each year,” he says.
“This will not only result in up to 20 new jobs and additional employment for the shipping and transport services industries, but will also have flow-on effects for local businesses associated with the facility in industries such as maintenance, engineering and freight.”
Barley farmer and former Chairman of the Queensland Barley Marketing Board, Roy Grundy (pictured), says the new malting plant could be the breakthrough the Queensland barley industry has been waiting for.
“This new plant is a shot in the arm for our barley industry. Not only will it see a Queensland plant become a major exporter to Asian markets, it will reenergise local growers by generating additional demand for their produce,” he says.
Chief Supply Officer for the Foster’s Group, Michael Brooks, sees the Pinkenba plant as a firm signal of support for the brewing industry in Queensland.
“It’s great to see suppliers of our raw ingredients invest in the future of brewing in Australia, and this site, once completed, will help Yatala become one of Australia’s busiest breweries,” he says.
The state-of-the-art Pinkenba malting plant, which will use German-designed equipment and the latest technology, will open for business in early 2011.
Barrett Burston Malting Company – part of global holding company United Malt Holdings – in conjunction with GrainCorp, will re-develop the GrainCorp site at Pinkenba and use the existing grain storage facilities.