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They mightn’t realize it, but when most people in NSW and the ACT drink milk, or add it to their tea, coffee, or cereal they’re enjoying the products of Australian Co-operative Foods (ACF).
The Co-operative’s brands – Oak, Ski and Dairy Farmers have become household names throughout Australia.
The group processes and packages around 21% of Australia’s milk market and is the market leader in this category. In addition, many other dairy products come from its General Products Division, including yoghurts, custard, longlife milk, ice cream, butter, cottage cheese, and cream – thickened and sour.
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SOLID & EFFICIENT
The combined ACF group has an annual turnover of $430 million and a particularly solid financial base. Less than 10% of its $180 million asset base is funded by interest bearing debt. Many of the assets are modern, high technology factories built in the last few years.
Clearly, a key factor in reaching that sort of position is operating efficiently – a priority for every plant and division within the group. Few ACF factories have had a better name in that regard than the plant at Wetherill Park, near Sydney.
The ACF plant at Wetherill Park, has enjoyed the many benefits offered by natural gas since its beginnings in 1987. Clean, efficient natural gas has been used to fire the two boilers which produce the steam and hot water necessary for production processes. The economy natural gas has brought to this system was given a boost earlier this year with new technology to further improve efficiency.
ENERGY UP THE FLUE |
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The technology has come from Unitech Research Pty Ltd, a three year old Parramatta based company engaged in energy management research and new technology development. Under the leadership of Managing Director, Marcel Sultan, it has produced the “Universal Energy Conservation System” a simple but revolutionary development now patented in 23 countries. Basically the system captures the waste heat previously lost up the flue, and puts the energy to work.
FROM SINGLE TO DUAL STATE
A single stage version of the system was installed last year in Aladdins Laundry at Parramatta (see “Gas Topics”, June 1991). When the Unitech team first discussed the possibilities of an installation at ACF Wetherill Park, they were talking about the biggest system they had yet proposed in Australia. They did so for two reasons. ACF operated on a much larger and more complex scale than Aladdins Laundry, and the system’s concept itself had progressed considerably since the early installations. |
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