CONSTRUCTION begins today on Queensland%u2019s biggest malting facility, the first to be built in the state for more than 40 years and the only plant to export malt.
Barrett Burston Malting Company’s $80 million Pinkenba Maltings will create up to 20 new jobs, expand the market for Queensland barley growers and increase demand for Australian barley by 100,000 tonnes each year.
Pinkenba Malting Plant will convert barley from Queensland and northern NSW into high quality brewing malt, with half supplied to Foster’s Yatala Brewery and the other half exported through the Port of Brisbane to major brewers in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Pinkenba 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 chief executive officer Angelo Di Petta said the opening of the plant represented a great opportunity for the Queensland economy, and in particular, Queensland barley growers.
"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," Mr Di Petta said.
"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 Queensland Barley Marketing Board chairman Roy Grundy said the new malting plant could be the breakthrough the Queensland barley industry had 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,” Mr Grundy said.
Chief supply officer for the Foster’s Group, Michael Brooks, said the Pinkenba plant was 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,” Mr Brooks said.
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 GrainCrop, will re-develop the GrainCorp site at Pinkenba and use the existing grain storage facilities.
