My role as Plant Engineer is multifunctional, overall responsability for all cost inputs to the Plant in the engineering area including maintenance of plant and buildings, utility use, electricity and fuel costs.An input into the design and installation of all projects on site, recently ( last 10 years) a new Rendering plant 10 t/hr low temp, new lamb slaughter line (10 C /Min), hot boning beef conversion from cold boning (42/hr), installation of a 8000 carton blast and carton sorting area approx 16 carton / min.As well as all the other process improvement projects that improve how the plant is run and drive better efficiency.These are the areas I most enjoy and I think I excell at by providing the practical knowledge to assist with design and operation of processes that have become a lot more automated as new technology has arrived.

Restructuring within company and the Engineering team sees a new role for me focusing on the energy side of the business, refridgeration, power, water, effluent. Again working closely with the plant engineer on projects, energy saving initiatives, production improvements etc.

The start of the restructuring, two jobs into one, I started having to manage other people ( contarctors and on site trades staff) to get work completed.

The plant went through a large upgrade at this time, for the then Waitaki refridge ltd, basically a new lamb processing plant was built from the yards to freezers, my role was very interesting and diverse working directly for the Chief Engineer on all manner of things from small engineered solutions to dealing with regulatery authorities for consenst etc.

This first part of this time was spent fitting out the new engine room with "new" screw compressors, Howdens, good experiance going from the old reciprocating machines and the start of automation, after that doing acual shifts which were to boring, drive a good man to drink!

Started at the Wairoa plant as Engineering cadet with the plan of doing the trade followed by a steam ticket and then doing time in the refridgeration side, pretty much how it happened except the part where you leave and go to greener pastures, still waiting for that to happen lol.