Visy will invest $700 million on a massive expansion of its Queensland recycling and remanufacturing operations.
Under the plan, the company will invest $500 million to build a new glass food and beverage container recycling and manufacturing facility in Yatala; a new $150 million corrugated box factory at Hemmant; and invest $48 million in major upgrades to the company’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF) on Gibson Island.
Steven Miles, Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development said the government would invest $16 million in the Gibson Island project from the flagship Queensland Jobs Fund.
Anthony Pratt, Visy Executive Chairman said it is the largest investment Visy has made in Queensland and is part of his pledge to invest $2 billion in Australia over the decade.
Visy will relocate its current glass re-manufacturing operations from South Brisbane to Yatala, expected in 2025, paving the way for the site along the Brisbane River to be used as the International Broadcasting Centre for the 2032 Olympic Games.
The projects will create more than 900 jobs in construction, and support 300 green collar, remanufacturing jobs once operational.
Pratt said the state of the art factory will help towards increasing the recycled content in Visy’s glass packaging to 70 per cent, reduce landfill, and reduce the use of natural resources by using the most modern energy efficient manufacturing technology available.
The facility, which will produce about 1 billion glass containers a year, will support Queensland’s world class, iconic beverage manufacturers. The company’s new $150 million corrugated box factory at Hemmant will service Queensland’s thriving agricultural sector, supporting farmers and growers across Queensland.
Visy’s upgrade to its MRF at Gibson Island will divert up to an additional 30,000kt of material from landfill. Visy currently recycles more than 250,000 tonnes of material from kerbside collections a year.
Steve Miles, Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development said upgrading the facility will not only create local jobs but also increase recycling capacity to significantly reduce landfill.
“We made a pledge to the people of Queensland before the last election to provide this funding towards a cleaner future, and we are living up to that commitment,” Miles said.
“The upgrades to the Gibson Island facility will create 11 jobs, which is a fantastic result for locals.”
Di Farmer, Member for Bulimba said the government was investing in expanding manufacturing in Queensland.
“This investment will see the installation of state-of-the-art recycling technology at Visy’s Gibson Island site in Murarrie,” Farmer said.
“We’re supporting jobs and the environment by improving recycling capabilities. It’s a win-win project.”
Delivering this project aligns with the Queensland Government’s Resource Recovery Industries 10-year Roadmap and Action Plan.
For more information, visit: www.visy.com.au
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