SPRAYER manufacturer Goldacres is consolidating its manufacturing process in Ballarat, closing its St Arnaud plant.
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Company founder John Richards said the decision was made to transfer the manufacturing of Goldacres’ smaller lines of sprayers that were being made in St Arnaud to Ballarat to avoid duplication.
“It is something we should have done a while ago, there was considerable duplication and it will greatly improve the efficiencies for Goldacres as a whole,” Mr Richards said.
He said there would be some jobs relocated and some jobs lost from the St Arnaud downsizing but said on the flipside the expansion of Goldacres’ new Agstrike dealership, made possible by the scaling down of the manufacturing enterprise, would create new positions.
“The site has been pretty small for everyone, this will allow Agstrike to expand its service and sales business and there will be opportunities there,” he said.
St Arnaud Community Action Network president Jane Sutherland said the loss of the business to the town is “dreadful”.
“I understand there are about 26 employees. That is 26 people in town who no longer have a job or have to relocate and leave town,” she said.
“St Arnaud is really not coping well at the moment and this is the last thing the town needs.”
A dry winter has also made conditions tough for St Arnaud farmers, with many cutting crops for hay.
”That is a blow in itself for the agriculture in town but now for an industry like Goldacres to leave will have a big impact, not in a good way,” Mrs Sutherland said.
Goldacres was originally set up in St Arnaud in 1978 before relocating the manufacturing of its larger equipment to a bigger centre in Ballarat.
The company is well known for its spray equipment, such as the flagship Crop Cruiser self-propelled unit.
More to come.