One of the casualities of flooding in Awatoto is carpet-maker Bremworth’s yarn spinning plant. In a ‘Market Release’ for the investment community, the company said the plant will be offline for a “yet to be determined, but significant” amount of time”.
“Clean-up is progressing to plan, with BRW [Bremworth Limited] also undertaking, in parallel, detailed assessment of damage to buildings, plant and equipment with the assistance of specialists that it has appointed.”
The company earlier reported employing about 160 at the plant.
As a flow-on effect, because the Awatoto facility supplies the company’s dyed fibre and yarns, the Whanganui yarn spinning and Auckland carpet plants have ceased operating for the time being. Meantime, the company is seeking alternative suppliers, with about 35% to be sourced within NZ and the rest from overseas.
Bremworth has also “agreed to a partial settlement with its insurers of $20 million plus GST, where applicable, with this sum available for the reinstatement of the Napier assets while also putting the Company in a very strong position to carry on implementing its mitigation and business continuity plans, to support affected staff and to meet its ongoing obligations.”
On a positive note, the company affirmed its sustainability commitment: “While the impact of losing the plant in Napier has been severe, it is BRW’s intention to continue to pursue its strategic transformation in manufacturing and wholesaling of New Zealand wool carpets.”
In May 2021 Bremworth celebrated its last ever synthetic carpet production. By exiting the synthetic carpet market they reduced their annual plastic consumption by about 2,500 tonnes.
“Our focus is to move towards circularity and manufacture our products using 100% sustainably sourced natural materials that can be returned to the earth.”