Patea Freezing Works

The Patea Freezing Works was a meat-processing plant promoted by The Patea A&P Association in the town of Patea. The West Coast Meat and Produce Export Company was formed in August 1883 and operated a tinning plant and tallow factory in the area. Changes in technology saw the company change from canning to freezing in 1904.

The Patea Freezing Company came into being in 1910. In 1933, a new Patea Freezing Company was formed and at times provided work for nearly 1000 workers during peak season. However, the company suffered badly during the downturn in the New Zealand meat-processing industry in the early 1980s. The Patea works were among the first to close down, ending operations in September 1982. At the time The Patea Freezing Works was owned by the British Vestey Group.

Since the closure the site has fallen derelict.

Residents regarded the area as a health hazard and blamed its high visibility from the highway as being partly responsible for a decline in property values over the years. "The works has been a thorn in everyone's side for 25 years. This eyesore is our identity, it's Taranaki's eastern gateway and it's absolutely shocking what's been allowed to happen there." said former Patea mayor Norm McKay, who worked at the freezing works for 29 years. [* [http://fibres.co.nz/documents/PublicationTNL.pdf Taranaki Daily News 14 Aug 2007] ]

Currently, parts of the site are owned by the South Taranaki District Council and Escada Enterprises of Sydney, Australia

The site is riddled with Asbestos cladding and insulation, chemicals, heavy metals, boiler ash dumps, rusting fuel storage tanks, collapsing structures and is a local hangout at night.

On Wednesday 6th February 2008 a large part of the Patea Freezing Works was destroyed by fire. [* [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00054.htm Scoop] ]

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